Intermission
by displacedtexan
Summary: Kotoko wanders the cold streets aimlessly after following Naoki and Matsumoto home and is found by Watanabe. Can his gentle kindness woo her battered heart?
1. Chapter 1

AN1: I do not own Itazura na kiss.

* * *

The hour and a half passed agonizingly slow for the girl waiting outside the prestigious home. The more the minutes accrued, the more lurid were the pictures her imagination drew of what the attractive couple inside were doing. Kotoko's swallow turned into an audible gulp, because Naoki and Matsumoto _did_ give off the distinct vibe of "couple". Now she had her proof. Naoki had not left the Irie household simply to get away from his parents—and her, or possibly, his mother's plans for her—but in order to be with someone else.

She ran the sleeve of her coat across her face—and not for the first time—to remove the treacherous moisture seeping from her eyes. She shivered as the damp sleeves of the inadequately thick jacket intensified the cold. With a sad heart, she concluded that there was nothing for her here, and she turned to shuffle in what she hoped was the direction to her home, now permanently minus one family member.

* * *

Watanabe Junichi wrapped the scarf tighter around his neck. The temperature had plummeted while he was ensconced in the library. One fascinating case had led to another, and he did not know how he was going to be able to trim down the essay into the word count required by his Intro to Japanese Law professor. What he wouldn't give to borrow the quick analytical brain of his old friend Irie for only about an hour a day!

As if his thoughts had conjured up the past, he suddenly recognized the young woman clinging to a lamp post. He approached the person that he had first assumed to be an inebriated party goer. "Kotoko-chan?" Even though it had been almost a year since he had last seen her, he hoped that she would excuse the familiarity.

She squinted her eyes at him and between shivers, asked, "Watanabe-kun?" She sneezed and bowed an apology. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm on my way home," he said while unwinding the muffler. "You're freezing!" he exclaimed as he placed it around her neck. He lifted her hands. "No gloves, either!"

"I got lost," she sniffed woefully. "I have this night blindness." She looked down as he fitted one of his gloves on her smaller hand. "Watanabe-kun?"

He picked up his pack, which he had laid on the sidewalk, and took her bare hand in his and tugged it into his pocket, still clasping it. "My house isn't that far away. Let's get you thawed out a bit before trying to get you back where you belong."

As they walked side by side, he slowing his pace for her shorter legs, he heard her mutter mournfully, "Where I belong? I wish I knew."

* * *

As he expected, his mother had almost screamed when she placed her palms on Kotoko's face. Quickly explaining that she was his friend and that he was _not_ responsible for her condition, she hustled Kotoko into the kitchen and set fluffy blankets around her shoulders. When Watanabe returned from hanging up his coat and setting her damp one above a heater, he almost couldn't see her face, so swaddled was she. His mother had left the oven door open and set several pans of hot water to boil on the stove to raise the temperature of the room. Soon she reached under the sheltering fabric and pulled out Kotoko's still chilly but slightly warmer hands to fold them around a mug of tea. "We'll get you set back to rights soon enough!" she promised.

Watanabe took the cup his mother held out for him and sat next to her. "I'll call Irie-kun and have someone fetch you when you feel less like a popsicle," he offered.

"No!" Kotoko ducked her head to him and his mother. "Sorry for shouting. Irie-kun doesn't live at home any more. He," she took a ragged breath, "has moved in with his girlfriend." Tears started falling slowly down her face, her body too exhausted for the wrenching sobs that her heart wanted.

Watanabe met his mother's eyes and rose to exit the room when she gave a sharp jerk of her head. He intercepted his father who was returning an empty coffee cup. "I don't believe men are welcome in there right now."

Left with a woman as kind and sympathetic as Mrs. Irie but without the drama, Kotoko soon found herself confessing all. Of course, this entailed more tears, but they didn't sting quite as badly with a comforting arm around her shoulders and a friendly bosom to lay her head on.

* * *

Forty five minutes later, during which time he had showered and changed into a sweatsuit, Watanabe's mother knocked on his door. She came in, hugging her arms. "That poor child just cried herself to sleep right there at the table. Do you know how to get in touch with her family? I don't want to wake her and send her out again."

"Sure, Mother." He found the Irie home number in his phone's contact list. "Do you want to put her in the guest room?"

At her nod, he left to get the bed ready while she phoned Mrs. Irie and overrode her immediate impulse to set out to fetch her lost lamb. "No, I assure you, she is quite safe, just overcome with exhaustion. The children were acquainted in high school, so it was like a small reunion that went on too late." She had decided to let Kotoko tell her guardian as much (if any) of the story as she wished.

Her son helped her maneuver the somnolent girl up the stairs and into the room until he was banished to enable her to undress and tuck her in. She shook out the crumpled clothes and took them with her. Hanging them over her arm, she once more entered her son's room.

He looked up from the bed, where he was reviewing an assigned chapter. "Is she down for the night?" he asked.

"I hope so." His mother looked down and smoothed the garments. "She's the one you told me about, isn't she?"

 _Damn her memory,_ he thought. "Yes," he nodded, "but I haven't seen her since graduation night."

"It looks like that boy has finally given her a firm rejection."

"Appears so," he agreed tersely.

"Are you going to—"

"Mom, don't all the talk shows you watch advise against pinning hopes on a rebound relationship?"

She sniffed and raised her chin. "That child could use some kindness in her life. And if it happens to come from an attractive young man, who can tell what might develop?"

He shook his head. "I'm not as good looking as Irie."

"And all _he's_ done is disappoint her," she countered swiftly. "At the very least, you can walk her to the train station tomorrow morning."

"Sure, Mom. But I'm not promising anything else."

She smiled and displayed the dimples that had so enchanted his father, and that, to his dismay, he had inherited, "Of course you aren't."

* * *

Naoki raised the collar of his overcoat as he exited the Matsumoto house. Although he had been encouraged to stay and not venture back out into the bitter cold, he had politely refused. He was sure that accepting that invitation would have been seen as assenting to certain familiarities that he was not prepared to partake in. He shook his head. _Which one of the two would have tried to sneak in the guest room in the middle of the night?_ He wasn't that easily caught; even that idiot Kotoko knew that. They had been in that position a year and a half ago and nothing had happened, after all.

Of course, she hadn't been trying to _seduce_ him, just steal his homework. He blew out a breath. Lately he had been wondering if it would be that easy to push her out if it happened now. Not that he suspected her of having plans to do it, especially since she had been hovering outside the restaurant earlier in the evening when Matsumoto had taken his arm possessively. If it hadn't been so cold, he would have shoved her away. It was just as well, though; he wasn't sure what the niggle of weakness that he felt whenever he thought of Kotoko meant, so keeping her far away was best for his peace of mind.

* * *

AN2: This story is for those of you complaining that I don't make Naoki suffer enough to deserve Kotoko's love. Annjudith and I brainstormed a bit, then I put on my "mean face" and started writing. Just a warning: Mrs. Irie is going to be super-annoying.


	2. Chapter 2

Kotoko blinked her eyes in confusion as she took in the strange room. "What—?" She folded back the covers and swung her feet over the side of the bed then saw what she was wearing. "Ack!" It looked like one of Mrs. Irie's night dresses. Her forehead creased then she remembered the drama-filled night before. "Oh, no!" she cried, covering her face with her hands. "I said all that to a stranger!"

The door creaked slightly, and she cracked her fingers to peek at it. "Good! You're awake. Good morning, Kotoko-chan. I dried your clothes." Mrs. Watanabe handed her the folded garments. "Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes. The bathroom is down the hall."

"Thank you." She bowed her head then quickly dressed and rinsed out her mouth before going downstairs and looking around warily.

"It's to the left, Kotoko-chan." Watanabe stood behind her.

Kotoko jumped. "Thank you, Watanabe-kun. I'm sorry for being such a bother last night."

"Not at all," he disputed. "I was glad that I could be of assistance." He led her to the table, where his mother was setting out dishes of food.

Kotoko bowed to her and also to the man sipping coffee behind a newspaper. "Good morning," he lowered it to greet her.

"Good morning and thank you," she replied. Hesitantly she added, "I'm sorry, did I meet you last night?"

He smiled just like his son. "No, I was banned from the females-only confab. It's nice to meet one of Jun-kun's friends."

"Uh, yes." Kotoko stammered and blushed, then took the chair that Watanabe held out for her. "Thank you," she whispered.

Somehow she made it through breakfast. It was not as uncomfortable as it could have been, thanks to Watanabe's mother's constant flow of light comments, none of which touched on events of the night before.

Before she knew it, she and Watanabe were walking together toward the train station. "Do you have early classes today?" he asked.

"No, thank the gods," she replied, "otherwise my friends would make a lot of comments about me showing up in the same clothes as yesterday."

He chuckled. "I'm sorry, but I wouldn't have been able to help you out in that case. None of mine would have fit you."

Looking up into his face, Kotoko managed a laugh as well. "Not to mention, that would make the rumors even worse!"

There was a brief comfortable silence, then Watanabe cleared his throat. "About last night—Kotoko-chan, will you be okay?"

She shoved her chin farther down in the scarf that he had again insisted that she wear. "Well, I don't have much choice now, do I?"

"Right," he muttered, wondering if he actually should have said anything.

"No, no!" Kotoko waved her hands. "Don't take it that way! I hate to think of what might have happened if you hadn't come along. I wonder if I would have ever found my way home." She sighed. "And I still have to face Obasama—Mrs. Irie—today."

"My mother called her last night to explain."

"Don't think that will stop her questions." Kotoko grinned then sobered. "She is relentless in pushing me and Irie-kun together." She groaned. "And especially with Valentine's Day coming up."

"Valentine's Day—oh yes, that is rapidly approaching."

"She'll probably have me try to make Irie-kun some more lousy chocolate, too," she groused, "and nag him into accepting and reciprocating."

"If you think it would help," Watanabe began hesitantly, "we could make plans for that day." When Kotoko turned wide startled eyes to him, he hurriedly added, "Not like a date. We could, uh, study in the library after classes and maybe have a quick meal." He laughed and his hated dimple flashed. "Not that there would be any other choice. I believe the nicer places have been booked for weeks."

Kotoko looked pensive. "Studying wouldn't be a bad idea." She rolled her eyes. "College hasn't improved this Class F brain much."

"I could help you, if you'd like," he suggested. "I know I'm not a genius like Irie, but I'm willing to answer any questions you have."

She grinned at him. "Be careful or you might find out that you bit off more than you can chew!"

"Not at all," he countered gamely. "As for the dinner, how about that beef bowl place you worked at in high school? One day I saw you greeting customers outside, and it sure smelled tasty. Is the food good there?"

"You knew?" Kotoko pulled a face. "Yes, it's good hearty food but not very sophisticated."

"Don't worry about that. I actually wanted to try it that time, but Irie wasn't having any of that."

"Yeah, he wouldn't," she replied in dejection. "He made fun of me afterwards, and I took that job to buy him a Christmas present."

"Lucky guy," he said.

Kotoko scrunched her face. "He didn't appreciate it much."

"How ungallant of him."

"I guess so…" She wasn't quite sure what the word meant. "But yes, telling Obasama that I have plans with someone else might make it easier. But," she looked anxious, "are you sure you wouldn't rather spend it with some other girl—someone you like?"

"I assure you, Kotoko-chan, there's no one else I'd rather be with that day."

* * *

Calling Mrs. Irie disappointed would be a gross understatement. After pleading with Kotoko to give Naoki "one more chance" she began to rage against her heartless son. "What have you done now, you foolish Onii-chan? Kotoko-chan is pretending that she doesn't care anymore and won't even make Valentine's chocolate."

"Ma, you know that I don't like sweets."

"Is that the important message you took from what I just said?" she asked, wishing that they were speaking face-to-face instead of over the phone so she could shake him. "I'm telling you that Kotoko-chan has lost interest in you!"

"Stop exaggerating." He glanced at his watch. "I'm due for my shift now. I've got to go. Goodbye."

Mrs. Irie stared at the phone. "I declare, that boy must have been born with ice water in his veins. He doesn't even care that I won't have Kotoko-chan as a daughter!"

On the other end of the line, Naoki shrugged. _I wonder what that girl is up to now._

* * *

As the days passed, business at Donny's remained brisk despite the absence of one regular customer. "I haven't seen Aihara here lately," Matsumoto commented to Naoki one evening, lowering her long lashes as she spoke.

"That's right." He continued to roll silverware. Not for anything would he admit that his eyes swept to the entrance at every door opening. But he was sure she would show up this evening. After all, it was Valentine's Day, and Kotoko was nothing if not traditional.

* * *

"Here you go, Watanabe-kun." Kotoko proffered the small package shyly.

"Kotoko-chan?" He took the box and stared from it to her. "I told you this wasn't like a date."

"I know," she giggled nervously, "but you're going to be helping me with my English and Japanese, so look at it as an advance 'thank you' gift." She leaned closer with a twinkle in her eye. "Just to make you appreciate it more, I purchased it instead of cooking it myself and perhaps poisoning you."

Watanabe chuckled. "Then, I and my stomach thank you." He stowed the box in his bag. "Now, did you say that irregular verbs were giving you problems?"

* * *

Naoki's breath blew out in white clouds at the end of his shift. This wasn't a tutoring evening, and he had turned down Matsumoto's not too subtle hints that they get a late night snack. He decided to take a detour on the way home, hoping that the chilly air would help sort out the confusion that Kotoko's non-appearance had created. Other restaurant employees besides Matsumoto had commented on her absence, so he wondered what was up. Of course, he couldn't ask either his mother or her without sending out false signals of hope.

When a breeze sent a rich aroma his way, he remembered that he hadn't eaten during break and turned in that direction. Ah, a familiar-looking beef bowl restaurant. His eyes narrowed. Was that his friend from school? He hadn't seen Watanabe in months; separate colleges _did_ mean separate lives. His hand froze in an aborted wave as he observed someone follow the boy out. Over there, with a scarf around her neck that he distinctly remembered his friend wearing for the last two years of high school, was Kotoko. As she took his arm and they headed toward the train station, the so-called "genius of Tonan" felt as if his brain—often compared to a computer—had received an overload of information. In other words, it crashed.

* * *

A/N: Yes, I know that an overload of information only "freezes" a computer, but we had enough freezing last chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

"That was fun!" Kotoko laughed up at Watanabe as they headed to the station.

He chuckled with her. "I have to admire your mad skills at carrying stacked dishes. You must have been quite the floor show when you worked there." The restaurant had been hit by a rush, and tables had needed clearing upon their arrival. Kotoko had immediately set out to assist them with the task.

She wrinkled her nose at him. "That's right. And their nervous expressions are still the same. Man! I enjoyed my time there, exhausting as it was."

"I suppose college is too much of a strain to let you hold down a part-time job any more."

"Yes, but that didn't stop me from trying to get a job at Donny's where Irie-kun works." She sighed. "It's just as well it didn't pan out, since that would mean having to see him and Matsumoto together all the time." She leaned over, "She's the one he's living with, and she also got the job that I applied for. Anyway, the waiter job looks a lot more complicated than what I did before. I've seen them having to use that huge electronic cash register sometimes. Of course, those two make _anything_ look easy."

After a half block more of walking, Watanabe pulled her to a halt. "Kotoko-chan, I enjoyed today with you, but I must tell you that I've been a little deceptive." She looked at him quizzically. "When I invited you, it was more than a friend helping out a friend. I have to let you know that I've liked you since high school."

Kotoko blinked then pointed to herself. "Me?"

"I'm afraid that I didn't notice you until the earthquake, but after that day I seemed to see you everywhere."

Her mouth quirked. "Well, I did run around with a noisy crowd. But Watanabe—"

"I know." He held up a hand to stop her speech. "I know that you don't feel that way about me now, and that you might never feel that way. But even before I ran into you again, I also knew that things hadn't changed any between you and Irie."

"It was that obvious, even with you going to a different school?"

"Kotoko-chan, you're very active in social media, and you really ought to adjust who can see your profile."

She covered half her face with a hand. "Can this get any more embarrassing? Class F syndrome, I guess."

"No," he laughed, "a lot of smart people don't think to do that. But back to my point, do you think you'd like to go out with me? I wouldn't push you towards any big love involvement, but I'd like for you to think about me as a possibility. Hm?" He raised his eyebrows in question.

"Ah, wow, I never even thought—" Kotoko fumbled for words. "You're very nice, but—"

"I know I'm not as smart or as good-looking as Irie," he began before she reached up and placed a mittened hand over his mouth.

"No, but you are _nice_ —you know, what I just said?—plus you have this cute dimple in your cheek that you try to hide. The problem is that I don't know if I'm going to be getting over Irie-kun any time soon. Right now I'm sort of numb inside, and I don't want you to waste your time on me. That's all I meant."

Watanabe clasped her hands with both of his. "As long as you give me a fair chance, I won't consider it time wasted. I know it's a long shot." He chuckled. "Mother's going to have a fit when I tell her that I actually did it."

"Your mother knows?!" Kotoko's mind ran through the badly remembered evening, trying to recall if anything strange had been said.

"Well, she guessed," he admitted. "I told her that there was someone I admired but that she liked a friend of mine and I had no chance. You might say that she nagged me into confessing."

Kotoko frowned. "Now I'm going to worry about disappointing her, too!"

"In that case, why don't we just call ourselves 'good friends' who meet to study, have meals, and get to know each other better?" he proposed. "That should keep people from talking too much."

"You are way too innocent," Kotoko said while shaking her head, "if you think people will stop talking about me."

* * *

Satomi and Jinko asked Kotoko if she had made Valentine's chocolate for Naoki. They had been suitably outraged at his supposed living arrangements when Kotoko expanded on her immediate negative answer. Their conditioned response to such news was to comfort and sympathize with an upset Kotoko; however, she seemed not as disturbed as usual. When she told them of her rescuer, Satomi set her jaw. "That's just what that fool needs! Some competition!"

"No, no," Kotoko shook her hands in denial, "there's no competition. Irie-kun is in the past."

"We've heard that before," Jinko commented sarcastically.

"Really!" she insisted. "Of course, it was a great shock, but I've just been fooling myself all this time anyways. It's about time for me to grow up and look at life as it really is."

Her two friends exchanged glances. "We tried to tell you that back in high school, but since he kissed you at graduation—"

"I don't know what that was all about then and I really don't want to know now!" Kotoko was finally beginning to look upset.

"Okay, okay," Satomi made calming motions with her hands. "So tell us about Irie-kun's Class A friend, who really seems to act with class."

"Yes," Kotoko happily replied, "and he is going to be helping me with some of my course work." She told of the embarrassing breakfast at his home and how he had held out the chair for her at the table. "During all the time Otosan and I have lived in his house, I don't think Irie-kun did that once for me!"

"What a tool!" Jinko spat.

"No," Kotoko corrected her with a wan smile, "he just didn't want to get caught up in one of Obasama's dreams, uh, schemes." _The first one was bad enough,_ she thought, _when the new mother had refused to accept that her baby was male._

"Well, anyway, we're glad that you have a new man in your life," Satomi assured her stoutly.

"Just friends!" Kotoko reminded her.

"For now!" Jinko whispered to Satomi.

* * *

"What?! That bastard Irie is living with that snooty broad? Oh, my poor Kotoko!" Kinnosuke wailed.

"Hush, baka!" Satomi smacked him on the head. "I only told you so you wouldn't open your big trap and say something you shouldn't, not for you to spread it across campus without a loudspeaker."

The boy rubbed his head, glaring at her. "Well, where's Kotoko holed up at? I bet she's crying her eyes out again over him."

"Actually, I'd take that bet if I wasn't your good friend and didn't want to cheat you out of your money," Jinko said. "She's already cried herself out and is well on the mend."

"I don't believe it!" he proclaimed, then perked up. "Then in that case, it's time for Kin-chan's Love Plan Number Two! I'll woo her with my romantic music," he made what he thought of as a smooth dance move, "and my sexy come-hither glances." Jinko pretended to gag at his demonstration of the second item.

"You're too late," Satomi informed him flatly. "She already has another man."

"Wh-wh-what?!" he stuttered.

"Although she did stress that they were 'just friends'!" Jinko reminded her with a wink.

"Then there's still a chance!" he blustered. "So who is the son of a gun that's pulled a fast one on me?" When told, he shouted, "Say what?! Now she's going out with Irie's best friend?" He shook his head mournfully. "She's lost it for sure, this time. I'll have my work cut out for me, healing her broken heart afterwards."

Satomi and Jinko just rolled their eyes and left him wallowing in his own misery.

* * *

A/N: About a Guest reviewer's question on the end pairing: All I will say is that I take great care in selecting the titles of my stories so they are fairly descriptive. Maybe a little sassy at times, but then, that's me.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey, what's up, Irie?" Sudo greeted him from across the tennis court. Naoki waved his racquet at him and tried to look around unobtrusively. The captain trotted over, grinning. "Man, is this a crazy world or what? You, who never casts a shadow on our illustrious tennis courts, appear, and Aihara, who's always here and still never improves, hasn't shown up in weeks."

"Oh? Kotoko's not here?" Naoki tried to ask nonchalantly.

"That's right. She sent me some sort of weird message about having to pay more attention to her classes with finals coming up." He shook his head. "If her academic skills are on a par with her athletic ones…"

"They are." Naoki looked into the distance and tapped the racquet against his leg. "Classes, eh?" She had stopped sitting near him and Matsumoto in Advanced English; hell, he wasn't even sure she was still attending the class, so accustomed was he to ignoring her.

Before he could devise a plan to check out her excuse, Sudo grabbed his arm and pulled him onto the court. "Okay, you against me, two out of three sets."

Geez! That would delay him for a while.

* * *

Two days later, instead of immediately heading to his accustomed chair in the classroom, Naoki looked around, and found that Kotoko had apparently taken up residence on the far back left of the theatre. He noticed with a twist of his lips that the idiot Ikezawa had trespassed again, after being forcibly dissuaded a few months earlier. Kotoko was shaking her head at the blathering words he was sending her way—at a low volume, for once—but he broke off when he saw Naoki heading their direction.

"Dammit, Irie, you've already made your choice. Why are you still pestering Kotoko?"

"Pestering?" he repeated. "I simply wish to speak with her for a few minutes. Aren't you afraid that the professor will have you escorted out again?"

The wiry assistant chef hopped to his feet. "Okay, I'm going! But Kotoko," he shook a finger at her, "you think long and hard about that guy! Just sayin'!"

Kotoko waved him off with a weary sigh. "Get to your job, Kin-chan. I'll be fine."

Since Kotoko simply stared at him with a raised eyebrow, Naoki had to open the conversation. "Hello, Kotoko. How have things been lately?"

"Fairly well," she replied warily. "I think Yuuki-kun is teaching Chibi to run me over. He always jumps on top of me when I get back at night."

"Always?" he asked. When she nodded, he suggested that she check her pockets for kibble. "I'm sure Yuuki doesn't think about the possibility of you getting hurt when he plays his little tricks."

"Not the only Irie," she murmured, too low for him to make out.

"I wondered, though," he looked down at her stack of books, "if you needed some help studying before finals. I know that this is an advanced course and you probably weren't prepared for its intensity."

"Thank you, but there's no need to concern yourself about me," she was happy to tell him. "I know that you are busy with work and your other activities, so it would be difficult for you to find time."

Yes, it would, but this was not like Kotoko. "Are you sure?" He smiled at her. "It's a bit like being in the Twilight Zone, having you turn down tutoring help from me."

"Again, thank you very much, but I'm not entirely an idiot. I will be fine." She opened the textbook and dismissed him, leaving him no choice but to join Matsumoto halfway across the room. _Strange,_ she thought to herself, brow crumpling. _I was only a little uncomfortable and not a bit nervous._ She shrugged. _I guess sharing a bathroom with someone for two years will get you used to them._

* * *

The next ones to be blessed with Naoki's presence were her friends. Satomi and Jinko were sitting on a bench that formed a circle around a tree, discussing a musical track from a new singer.

"Excuse me—"

"Ack! Irie Naoki!" Satomi half-stood, and Jinko almost fell onto the walkway. "What are you doing here?"

"I attend school here," he answered drily. After a glance or two around, he asked, "Kotoko not with you?"

"No, she's off on her tutoring session," Satomi answered, eyes narrowed.

"Ah! She's getting extra help. Good," he commented, "maybe that will focus her mind."

Jinko snorted. "Yeah, but what else will those two focus on?"

"Two?"

"A close friend of hers—a close _male_ friend—is helping her study." Satomi watched with satisfaction as Naoki's face paled.

"That's something new," he managed with composure. "Is it anyone I— _we_ —know?"

"I'll say!" Jinko chuckled. "Just the guy that was always at your elbow in high school."

"Watanabe?"

"Yeah, even though she keeps saying they're 'just friends', we can see a little something extra." Jinko winked to make sure he got the message.

"That's jumping the gun," Satomi reproved her friend, "but it _is_ nice to see someone appreciate Kotoko's good qualities."

"But he's attending Waseda. How can he help Kotoko?"

Satomi laughed out loud. "Do they speak a different form of Japanese on the other side of Tokyo? Plus," she admired her freshly polished nails, "I believe he's also helping her with English. Oh, wait a minute," she blinked innocently at him, "aren't you taking the same class?"

"Why, uh, yes," he managed, "but I don't know why she'd bother Watanabe for help when I'm much nearer at hand."

"Well, that's 'cause Kotoko wouldn't want to bother your little honeymoon-like set-up. Because she's considerate!"

That had never been an adjective that he would have used to describe her, but… "Honeymoon?"

"Oh, stop trying to fool everyone into thinking you're Mr. Perfect," Satomi snapped. "We know you're shacking up with that flashy tennis player."

"Yeah, she's been after you ever since school started last spring. Guess she finally caught you, right?" Jinko leered.

"Too bad you couldn't be honest with Kotoko about moving on." Eyes spitting sparks, Satomi advanced on him. "She followed you two to your love nest and stood outside waiting until she almost froze to death!"

"If he hadn't come along that night, who knows what would've happened?"

For once, Naoki was not only not keeping up with the conversation but was several steps behind. "Hold on. Kotoko thinks I'm living with Matsumoto?"

The girls rolled their eyes in unison. "And now comes the denial," Satomi said sarcastically. "Sorry, we have somewhere else to be. Ta-ta, Irie-kun!"

The conversation left him with the definite twinges of an incipient headache.


	5. Chapter 5

Two weeks before the end of the semester, Naoki surprised his mother by requesting to attend a family dinner. She pulled out all the stops and prepared his favorite dishes, hoping to entice him to return to the fold. Mr. Irie was delighted when he asked him how Pandai was doing and embarked on a five-minute monologue that the rest of the table tuned out. Yuuki was almost bouncing in his seat with excitement at having his big brother next to him once more.

Kotoko didn't participate much in the conversation, willing to let the family enjoy their wayward son, and tried to stay as much in the background as she could be while sharing the same meal. Her mind was actually far away when Naoki added to his answer about his part-time job.

"While I'm planning to continue to work at the restaurant, I've found that I can make more money tutoring."

His mother clapped her hands in delight. "How wonderful! See how useful those times you helped Kotoko-chan and her friends in high school have turned out! You remember that, don't you, Kotoko-chan?"

She gave Mrs. Irie a wan smile. "Yes, Obasama, it was only a little over a year ago."

Naoki chuckled. "She's not senile yet, Ma!"

"Is it college students you are teaching?" his mother continued. "While I am delighted that you and dear Kotoko-chan are attending the same university, it is obvious that you are superior to most of the students at Tonan. If only Kotoko-chan could pass the Tokyo University entrance exam…"

"Not gonna happen," Kotoko responded quickly. She stuck her tongue out at Yuuki, having beaten him to the punch. His mouth had been open with what probably would have been another scathing insult, and now he was left with nothing to say.

Naoki ignored the byplay. "No, actually it's a high school student who wants to be sure she will pass the Tonan entrance exam. By the way," he turned to Kotoko, "you're acquainted with her sister. The student is Matsumoto Ayako."

The meat in Kotoko's chopsticks dropped back down to the plate. "Matsumoto?"

"Yes." He smiled at her. "I've been going home with her from work on tutoring nights. I get a free meal in addition to my salary."

"Sounds like a win-win situation," said his father gruffly.

"That's what I thought." The rest of the meal's conversation centered around Yuuki's school experiences, so Kotoko used that time to absorb the startling information that had been shared. The "numbness" that she had described to Watanabe appeared to be still insulating her heart. Thus lost in contemplation, she jolted with surprise when Naoki concluded with, "This has been a wonderful meal, Mother. Please rest and let Kotoko and me take care of the dishes." He insisted despite her half-hearted demurs, so the two ended up side-by-side in front of the sinks, with only a few camera flashes to mark the occasion.

They were more than halfway finished when Naoki cleared his throat. "Ah, Kotoko, I heard a strange rumor on campus the other day."

"You did?" she asked. "You usually don't care for idle gossip."

"Especially after I was the constant subject of it my last year in high school," he agreed. "And guess what? I'm in the middle of it again."

Kotoko bent her head to study the plate she was meticulously wiping. "You said you were used to it last year."

He gave a half laugh. "Yeah, but all of those times the gossip was about me and you. Now, somehow the word has gotten around that I'm involved with Matsumoto—the elder one, that is."

"Really?" She shrugged. "Not too much of a surprise, since she made no secret of her intentions at the Tennis Club."

"Is that so? Still, I wonder how that rumor started." He kept an eye on her blushing cheek. "It's almost as if someone followed us to the house and jumped to a conclusion…" When Kotoko still refused to meet his eyes, he snatched the dish from her. "You're going to wipe off the design if you keep doing that." He advanced on her and trapped her against the counter by placing a hand on either side of her. "I know that story came from you, Kotoko. Now, what do you have to say?"

"Okay, okay!" She pushed against him trying to get free, but he didn't budge. She half-shouted at him in mixed guilt and anger, "I followed you and got the wrong idea. I'm sorry!"

"How are you going to make it up to me?"

"Make it up—?" Kotoko's eyes widened, then she looked pensive. "Well, I guess I can tell my friends I was mistaken, but I really didn't tell anyone other than Satomi and Jinko. Who did _you_ hear it from?"

Now Naoki backed away from the counter. "Uh, I happened to bump into them and they mentioned it."

"Then maybe it hasn't spread far," she suggested, but not with much hope, based upon the actions of those two during high school.

"I don't know, that Class F Osakan may know about it," Naoki said, recalling an accusation in the English classroom that had made no sense at the time.

"Kin-chan?" she asked. "One of them might've told him. But remember, he's not a student."

He gave a short laugh. "At least he hasn't put up any posters about it in the cafeteria. By the way," he fixed his gaze on her again, "your friends also said that you had run into Watanabe from high school." He made an effort to keep his voice casual.

"Yes!" Kotoko smiled easily at him. "It was good to see him again. I wish I'd known he was such a nice person back then."

Naoki nodded as he was struck silent in disbelief. Why wasn't Kotoko excited that he was not involved with their fellow tennis player and busily hatching other ideas to spend more time with him? He was further knocked off-balance when she calmly returned to the dishes, which prompted him to do the same.

After they were finished, she folded and hung the dish cloth then bowed to him with a distant smile. "I'm glad you came over this evening. It made Obasama very happy."

In spite of himself, he asked, "What are you doing now?"

She gave him a look of surprise and said, "I'm going to my room to study."

"Oh," he rubbed the back of his neck, "would you like some help?"

"No, thank you," she answered with a glance of incredulity.

"Are you sure?" he persisted. "In the past you tended to get stuck fairly easily."

She waved away his concerns. "It's all right. Watanabe and I are trying video chat this evening so he can help me even if we can't get together. Sort of as an experiment."

"Sounds...promising," he managed, "but the offer remains open."

"Thank you again." She bowed once more and left the room after shooting him a wary look. That made twice that he had offered to help her with schoolwork. Had the world gone mad, or just him?

Naoki began to wonder about that himself. As he put on his coat to leave, he glared at the scarf that was hung with Kotoko's jacket.

* * *

The video chat sessions worked so well that Kotoko's grades in all her classes improved. Not to honor roll status, of course, but enough that she was visibly jubilant. Watanabe, of course, had no problems with his courses, and they celebrated a successful end of their first year of college with several outings during the break. Naoki took on extra hours at Donny's during that time, but his regular conversations with his younger brother kept him abreast of how "those college professors must have all gone crazy to give the baka grades that good." He realized that Kotoko's earlier class improvements—those that _he_ had assisted with—had given him a jolt of pleasure that this news did not, and wondered at it.


	6. Chapter 6

Not long after the new school year began, the Irie and Aihara parents received an invitation to a wedding of an old school friend in Kyushu. Mrs. Irie fretted at leaving "the children" at home alone, at which point Kotoko reminded her that she would be twenty years old in less than half a year and was well able to watch Yuuki for a few nights. "And as bad as my cooking is, I think I can at least make it edible now." She stuck a tongue out at the face he was making behind his mother's back. "Besides, aren't trolls immune to poison?"

"Who are you calling a troll, baka?" he countered. "I'll be growing taller but you'll always be dumb!"

"Yuuki-kun!" his mother chided him before turning to the younger woman. "Oh, if only I could convince Onii-chan to come home and help you out, dear Kotoko-chan. Who knows," she winked, "it might put some ideas into his head, spending the night with you!"

Kotoko blushed as Yuuki sputtered, "Mom! Stop that! My tender ears!"

"Oh, don't act so innocent with me, Yuuki-kun," his mother scolded. "Besides, your brother said that he was working late hours this weekend, so it wouldn't be much protection anyway."

"He's the one who'd need protection," Yuuki muttered, "from Baka-chan!"

* * *

Despite Yuuki's protestations, he had to admit that Kotoko's cooking skills had improved. "A little too salty maybe but not as bad as that first time you cooked."

Kotoko shuddered. "Don't remind me! And I didn't want to do it even then, but Otosan made me help. He keeps thinking that one day I'll wake up and magically be a marvelous chef like him."

"Does he believe in Santa Claus too?" Yuuki asked with a snort.

"No," she answered, "but one year he rented a costume to advertise the restaurant—" She broke off when she saw the boy wince. "Yuuki-kun, are you all right?"

"Sure. Just a little pang." He gave her a small sneer. " _Probably_ not your fault." He took another bite. "So, was Aihara-san planning to wear the suit? He's pretty skinny for a Santa."

Kotoko finished the rest of the story, and Yuuki even helped her rinse off the dishes before separating into their own bedrooms for homework. Watanabe was explaining irregular past participles when Kotoko interrupted him. "Can you hold a minute? I think I hear something."

Knowing that she and the youngest Irie were alone in the house, he urged her to take the phone with her. "Just in case!"

Cell phone held like a weapon, Kotoko peered warily in all of the downstairs rooms. She was telling Watanabe that it must have been her imagination when she passed Yuuki's closed door and heard the same sound. This time she recognized it as vomiting followed by moans. She burst in to find him in a fetal position on the floor, rolling around in agony in what had earlier been his dinner. "Yuuki-kun!" she cried, falling to her knees and dropping the phone to the floor. "Are you hurt?"

"Ow, Kotoko!" he sobbed. "It won't stop." He paused to retch again, Kotoko futilely patting his cheeks to comfort him.

She became aware of Watanabe's voice from the phone and picked it up. "It's Yuuki-kun!" she cried. "He's throwing up and hurting and oh, it's all my fault! I poisoned him after all!"

Yuuki cracked open an eye and croaked, "Told you I wasn't a troll. Ack!"

"Kotoko! Kotoko!" Watanabe's voice was urgent. "Is it just food that he's throwing up?"

She looked carefully at the reeking mess. "Yes, it seems to be."

"And he's still in pain?"

"Um-hm." The boy was wailing in a high pitch. "I wish Irie-kun was here! He'd know what to do!"

"I'm sure he would. But _I'm_ right here. Now, your job is to clean up Yuuki as best you can and pack him some pajamas and fresh clothes after we hang up. I'll call the hospital—which one do you use?"

"Ah, uh, Sugimoto," she finally remembered.

"Okay, I'll find their number. Be ready for an ambulance in a few minutes." He heard her gasping breaths on the other end of the line, and added, "You can do this, Kotoko. Yuuki is depending on you."

"Right!"

"I'll meet you at the hospital later. Now, good-bye!"

With specific tasks laid out for her, Kotoko managed to clean the boy off and dress him in fresh clothes with a bowl nearby for future eruptions, of which there were two. By the time the medical personnel arrived, she had his bag packed and was able to describe his condition to them calmly before she joined Yuuki in the back of the ambulance.

* * *

Four hours later, having finally received the message that Kotoko had sent, Naoki ascended the steps of the hospital two at a time. He skidded to a stop in the surgical waiting area when he recognized his high school friend.

"Watanabe."

He looked up. "Irie!" He stood and shook his hand. "I'm sorry that we see each other again on such an occasion."

"Yuuki—?"

"He's out of surgery, and the doctor is talking to Kotoko in lieu of family. We didn't know when you would make it."

"Why are _you_ here?"

He laughed. "It's kind of strange. One minute we were conjugating verbs on video chat and the next I was calling 1-1-9 while Kotoko got ready for the ambulance."

"Oh. So you weren't at the house with them?"

He looked at him steadily. "That wouldn't be appropriate, not with the parents away. But at least I was able to help."

"Yes. I'm sorry." Naoki rubbed his hands over his face. "It's just that I'd worked for six solid hours and then pulled my phone out of the locker at the end of the shift to hear a message that my brother had been taken to the hospital…"

Watanabe placed a hand on his shoulder. "I understand. I would probably have had the same reaction if—" He broke off and turned as a door opened down the hall. A bleary-eyed Kotoko walked out of the room and went straight to him. She placed her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest.

"He's going to be all right!" she said. "Yuuki-kun is going to be all right!" And then she promptly burst into tears as if she hadn't just given them wonderful news.

Naoki stared at the tableau for an instant before walking towards the door from which she had just come. "I'll see if I can speak with the doctor as well." Watanabe nodded.

After a minute, Kotoko raised her head and sniffled. "I'm so sorry! It just hit me that if you hadn't been there—without really being there—that this might have turned out so differently. Thank you so much! Oh! Your mother!" She looked around the waiting area.

"She went to turn on the car's heater," he explained. "She said that it looked like the doctor had a 'good news' expression but to call if it was otherwise and she'd be right back."

Kotoko rubbed her nose with the back of her hand. "It was so kind of her to bring you." More than just kind, the older woman had been a sanity saver, holding Kotoko close and keeping her calm during the (what seemed to be) endless surgery.

Watanabe handed her his handkerchief, which he had already dried several times with the restroom hand dryer. "She decided that driving would be the fastest way here, plus she didn't want you to wait alone any longer that you had to."

She gave him a watery smile. "Be sure and give her my best thanks for that. Oh, no!" She began to futilely wipe at the wet remnants of her tears on his shirt.

"Never mind," he laughed and stilled her hands. "I think I can survive a little dampness."

Her chuckle turned into a hiccup. "I suppose so. When do you think Irie-kun will call back?"

He looked at her with an eyebrow quirked. "He showed up a few minutes ago, and you walked right past him. He's with the doctor now."

"Really?" Kotoko pushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Well, he'll probably understand more than I did. All about an ileo-whatever and a blockage that's been cleared so he can poop again."

He laughed. "Trust you to get to the heart of the matter. So, have you heard any more from the parents?"

"Just that a line of storms has grounded the planes tonight at the nearest airport. They'll try to get out tomorrow morning." She sighed. "Poor Yuuki-kun, in the hospital without his mother!"

"While you were with the doctor I saw him being moved to a room. Would you like to see if he's awake?"

Kotoko laughed. "This late at night he'd better not be!"

Sure enough, when they peeked in, Yuuki's eyes were closed and his breathing even. Kotoko pulled a chair over and stroked his forehead. "I'll stay with him until his parents get here."

"Are you sure?" Watanabe asked, looking around the room. "We'll be happy to drive you home. After all, there's not anything here that looks the least bit comfortable."

"I don't mind," she assured him. "But you should go back home." She squeezed his hand. "I'm glad you and your mom were here. It kept me from freaking out while waiting."

"Anytime, Kotoko." He moved towards her, hesitated a moment, then leaned and pressed his lips to her forehead. "I'll check back with you tomorrow and see how he is."

"Thanks again!" She smiled up at him. After he left she wiggled around on the chair until she could lay her head on the bed. She took hold of the hand nearest her and whispered, "I'm glad I didn't poison you, Yuuki-kun."

Watanabe closed the door behind himself and paused to tell his mother that he was on his way down. He had just put the phone away when Naoki returned from the surgeon's office. "Did you understand what the situation was?" he asked.

"Yes, it was a fairly simple matter, easily correctable," he replied.

"Simple for you, perhaps," he laughed. "You were always at the top of the class. I don't suppose medical terminology would be much of a challenge."

"No, not really," Naoki answered shortly.

"Well, I've got to go now. Take care."

"Watanabe." He waited until his friend turned back around. "Why were _you_ here tonight?"

He stared at him for a moment. "Irie, I really thought you were smarter than that." He shook his head and with a brief, "Later," left the hospital.

Naoki hunched his shoulders as if he felt an itch on his back. After inquiring of the nurse, he made his way to Yuuki's room. He leaned against the door and watched the brother that he loved sleeping with his hand held by the girl that he… Naoki wasn't sure how to finish the sentence, as emotions were not his strong point. All he knew for sure was that the thought of Kotoko and Watanabe being more than friends and study partners left a foul taste in his mouth. _Well, nothing I can do about figuring out those feelings tonight,_ he thought wearily before he pulled another chair over and joined Kotoko at Yuuki's bedside.


	7. Chapter 7

Great was Mrs. Irie's distress that she could not have been at her son's side in his moment of need. Even greater was Yuuki's irritation when she interrupted him scores of times throughout the day to check up on him once he returned home.

"Hey, baka," he asked Kotoko when she came to retrieve his lunch dishes, "is there any way you can convince Mom that I don't need all this attention?"

"Ai, Yuuki-kun," she laughed, "I might as well tell the Ara River to flow backwards. She feels so guilty she wasn't here when you were struck ill that she is trying to make up for it now."

"Man!" He flopped dramatically back onto his pillows. "She took care of me fine. I mean, she left you in charge, and you got me to the hospital."

Kotoko placed the tray on the floor and sat down next to him. "Well, I did panic at first. Luckily I was on the phone with Watanabe-kun and he told me what to do." She brushed his hair off his forehead. "Bratty as you are, I was scared to death when I found you."

"Quit that!" He blushed as he pushed her hand away. "Be-besides, I don't remember any of that. I just remember that you washed me off and got me into clean clothes before the paramedics got here. Thanks for that, and, uh, thanks for everything else." He spoke over her protest, "Even if somebody else was telling you what to do, you're still the one who did it." He sniffed. "I guess I'll have to be nice to you for a little while."

She laughed and picked up the tray again. "Don't strain yourself. I don't know what I'd do with a nice Yuuki-kun!"

"Say," his voice stopped her at the door, "you said 'Watanabe-kun'. Is that the same Watanabe that was Onii-chan's friend?"

"Why, yes, it is. He's now my friend as well." She rolled her eyes. "He's trying to get this Class F person to pass all of her courses."

Yuuki snorted. "Then he has his job cut out for him! But why didn't you ask Onii-chan for help if you needed it?"

"Eh, I don't want to bother Irie-kun," she said, edging into the hall. "He's helped me enough in the past, and I'm sure he's so busy with his own classes and work that it'd just be a pain. Now, try to rest, Yuuki-kun, and I'll tell Obasama that you're taking a nap and not to disturb you for a couple hours!"

"Thanks!" he called to her. As he made himself comfortable in the bedclothes, he muttered, "But it didn't seem as if Onii-chan _wanted_ someone else to tutor you."

* * *

"Why are _you_ here?"

Kotoko wrinkled her nose at the greeting. "And good afternoon to you too, Irie-kun." She let out an exaggerated sigh. "Actually, I'm wondering about that myself. Sudo-sempai begged me for three days until I agreed. I think he's afraid that there won't be anyone lousy enough to assign ball duty this year."

"So is that your goal?" he asked skeptically.

"Not really." She leaned against the fence. "My goal is to pass all my classes easily. I told Sudo-san that I wasn't showing up at each and every practice and he growled at me."

Naoki tried to turn a laugh into a cough, without much success. "What did you do then?"

"I growled back and told him that I could come to some or I would come to none. First time I've ever seen him back down."

"Yeah. Well," he moved to stand next to her, "at least you showed up on the one interesting practice of the year. Try-outs," he reminded her.

"Wonder how many victims he has lined up."

Surprisingly, considering how well-known Sudo's neurosis was, there was a goodly number of students milling about. Granted, some of them sported knocking knees, but at least they had shown up. Sudo gave his usual jolly welcome speech and selected the first "interviewee". The young man paled when the captain's face changed dramatically after picking up the racquet.

"Here we go again," murmured Kotoko.

One after another, students stumbled off the court demoralized. Halfway through the list, Matsumoto joined them at their observation location. "What an odd couple you make," she smirked, shooting Kotoko a glare.

Kotoko blinked. _That's right_ , she thought. _Those two weren't really together, no matter what I had thought at the time._

"Stop it, Yuuko," Naoki warned.

 _But they_ were _close enough for first names._ Once more Kotoko sighed audibly. _Oh, that reminds me, I still have to tell Watanabe-kun that I was wrong about what I saw the night we met._

"What's the matter, Aihara?" Matsumoto leaned forward to ask. "Are you missing the excitement and want to go through try-outs again?"

"Must you always be a bitch?" Kotoko muttered, loud enough for Naoki's eyes to widen and for Matsumoto to see red.

"Why, you little—!"

"Matsumoto Ayako!" Sudo bellowed.

Kotoko jumped and turned to Naoki. "Is she the one you were tutoring?" When he nodded, she said, "She sure is a beauty! I wonder if she can play—" She didn't have to complete the sentence because the younger Matsumoto had just smashed the ball between Sudo's legs, barely missing the most sensitive part of his unsensitive body.

"Ouch!" Naoki winced in sympathy.

The quickly accepted (and dismissed) freshman skipped over to the second-year group. "Here I am as promised, Irie-sensei!" She blinked extremely long lashes in his direction.

Now it was Kotoko's turn for a little spite. "I see you have some competition for the title of tennis queen, Matsumoto-san."

The other girl gritted her teeth. "Ayako!" she barked. "Let's take this onto the court!"

The skills of the sisters were extremely high, but it soon became apparent that the younger one's abilities outstripped the elder's. Serves were shot across the net as if from a cannon and the subsequent returns had them scrambling from side to side. Eventually, however, Ayako came out on top.

Matsumoto fumed, especially when Kotoko offered her some sweetly oozing sympathy, perhaps not entirely sincere. Meanwhile, Ayako pranced over to Naoki and asked him to play with her since "Yuuko just barely got my game warmed up."

Seeing that Kotoko was holding her own with the older sister and that the unwelcome Sudo had also joined Matsumoto's pity party, he decided to leave that powder keg of a trio. "Sure, Ayako, let's go to the far court."

* * *

"And that made Matsumoto even angrier! If this tennis season doesn't end in a sisterly cat fight, I'll be very surprised," Kotoko told Watanabe later that evening while working on assignments at her bedroom desk.

He chuckled then asked, "And is Irie trying to keep them in check?"

"Not a bit! Oh, yes," Kotoko fingered her hair nervously, "I forgot to tell you that when I followed Irie-kun—you know, _that night_ —that he was actual tutoring Matsumoto the Younger instead of, uh, living there."

"Really?" That made sense of some of his reactions at the hospital.

"Yes, but it seems that they are both in pursuit of him, making the tennis competition even more fierce." She looked at the ceiling in thought. "I don't know what their chances are, because outside of club he doesn't pay them any special attention. Since that's pretty much how he treated me in high school, neither one of them may be in luck."

"Neither one, eh?" From his room several miles away, Watanabe looked at his phone and wondered at her ease in discussing Naoki and his putative love life. Especially considering that one of the parties had put Kotoko in such a state when he had found her several months ago. If only her expression was clearer... "And how about you?"

"Me?" she asked, while pulling out her calculator.

"Are you interested in returning to him, now that this misunderstanding has been cleared up?"

"Go back to him?" She let out an unbelieving laugh as her eyes returned to the phone. "I was never _with_ him. No, I'm fine with just being friends with him. That's probably what I should have done in the very beginning instead of fangirling on him."

Then, in that case, perhaps this was his chance to move one step closer… "Kotoko-chan," he said, "don't you think it's about time that you started calling me by my given name?"


	8. Chapter 8

"Aihara Kotoko, I like you. Would you go out with me?"

If Satomi and Jinko had not been flanking her, Kotoko was certain she would have collapsed at the suddenness. "Uh, who _are_ you?" she managed.

He flashed her a megawatt smile. "Excuse me!" He bowed. "I am Nakagawa Taketo, at your service."

Jinko jumped in. "Or so you _say_." She leaned forward, squinting at him. "We don't know you from Adam."

"Yes," Satomi added, "plus you need to be careful what you tell Kotoko. She's pretty gullible."

Kotoko shot her a look, but her attention immediately returned to the handsome young man in front of her when he took her hand. "But I _do_ mean it!" he insisted. "Plus, you might not know me, but I know _of_ you, Kotoko-san!"

"Really? What, exactly, do you know?" she asked with some trepidation.

"And how?" added Jinko.

"I attended Tonan High School, just as you ladies did!" he declared. "I was a year behind, so I'm a first-year now."

The three girls peered at him closely. "We still don't remember you," Satomi told him after they looked at each other and shrugged.

He was taken aback. "Well, I was in Class A and always admired Irie-kun, so I saw Kotoko-san all the time—"

"Class A!" they gasped in unison, and Satomi and Jinko turned to look at Kotoko.

"What is it with Class A men and you?" Jinko muttered.

"Oh?" Taketo looked at them quizzically.

"Ah, never mind them." Kotoko waved her hands at him before bowing quickly. "Thank you very much, and I'm sure you're extremely nice, but I'm not in the market for a boyfriend right now."

"Kotoko-san," he protested, "not to be hurtful, but I haven't heard that you have made any more progress with Irie-san. I promise that you will enjoy college life more with me than with that fun-scorning cold guy."

"Say!" Satomi leaned forward, "he may not be joking."

"Yeah," Jinko added, "plus he's good-looking too. Not as good-looking as Irie-kun, but not many guys are."

"And he's a heck of a lot better than Kin-chan, who I'm surprised isn't all over this," Satomi said, looking around cautiously.

"Girls!" Kotoko looked at both of them firmly.

"Plus, all modesty aside, I'm a really great catch. I'm going to major in law."

"Law?" _A law student…?_ "Ah!" Kotoko had an idea. "That does, uh, add to your attraction, but like I said, I'm not interested right now. The man I'm seeing is also studying to be a lawyer."

Her friends were struck dumb, but Taketo, with attention to detail that would serve him well in his chosen career, did not hesitate to ask for clarification. "Really? Is it someone that I know?"

"Perhaps," Kotoko answered, crossing fingers behind her back. "It is Watanabe-kun from Class A of our year. He is attending Waseda University."

"Watanabe-san, eh?" Taketo's eyes narrowed. "Irie-san's best friend? That sounds a little suspicious. How long has this been going on?"

"Ah, Jun-kun and I have been seeing each other since early this year. We have kept it quiet because anything to do with me seems to get talked about." She giggled, trying to keep her slight hysteria in check. "My very public past is something that I am trying to live down."

The young man sighed and put on a dejected face. "So that's the story. I was just born too late, I guess. But," he leaned over and whispered in her ear, "if things change, keep me in mind!"

Pasting a wide and completely false smile on her face, Kotoko gaily assured him that she would and waved him off. As soon as he was out of sight, her whole body sagged. Satomi and Jinko quickly steadied her.

"Wow, Kotoko," Jinko marveled, "are you sure that you should turn down such an elite guy, even if he is younger?"

Kotoko looked at her crossly. "I don't even know the boy, despite having spent two years in the same school. He'll find a nice freshman girl to go out with in no time."

"But, girl," Satomi patted her on the back, "you never told us that you moved to first name basis with Watanabe. Any other news you'd like to impart?"

"No," she stated shortly. _And now I've got to let_ him _know about our relationship upgrade!_

"Well, anyway," Satomi hugged her, "it's about damn time!"

Jinko joined in. "I was afraid you were going to tell us that it was still pretend. Good going, girl!"

Kotoko accepted their congratulations silently. How could she tell them now that it was just a ploy to get rid of that persistent boy?

* * *

"I'm really sorry, Watanabe-kun," Kotoko wailed, although quietly, as they were in the library.

"Not to worry." He reached across the table and patted her hand. "And besides, didn't I ask you to call me Jun?"

She ducked her head and gave him a small smile. "Well, actually I did when I told him that whopper. So, Jun-kun it is!"

"Thanks." He grinned. "Now we're even. I've been calling you Kotoko-chan all along, after all."

"That's right," she sounded surprised, then furrowed her brow. "Is your name short for something else?"

"It's Junichi." He tore a piece of paper out of his notebook and wrote it out. "See, it uses the kanji for 'honest'."

She nodded as if she recognized the strokes. "'Honest'. I like that. It's a good name."

"Well," he grinned at her, "let's hope that people want an honest lawyer after I graduate."

"But still," Kotoko returned to the original topic of conversation, "don't let this fake boyfriend-girlfriend relationship mess you up if you find someone you want to date."

"Kotoko," Watanabe reminded her gently, "I've already told you who I like. I haven't changed my mind."

She ducked her head. "I just didn't want to take advantage of you."

His mouth quirked. "That phrase could be taken two ways, and I wouldn't mind it."

"Huh?"

Her confusion was seriously cute, so he changed the subject again. "Let's look at the results of your vocabulary test, why don't we?"

* * *

"Kotoko-chan!" Mrs. Irie called to her as soon as she walked in the door.

She tilted her head to the side. _Was Obasama irritated with her?_

So it appeared. "Kotoko-chan, you didn't tell me that your study partner was a boy!"

She blinked. "No. But I didn't say it was a girl either."

"Argh!" Mrs. Irie clutched both temples. "I could strangle that son of mine!"

Totally confused, Kotoko asked, "Yuuki-kun?"

"Not me, Baka!" he called from around the corner.

"Onii-chan is so slow!" His mother raged on. "Why didn't he stake his claim on you earlier? It's not as if those flashy tennis wenches have anything on their side besides looks! And it's probably all makeup and false eyelashes, too," she muttered.

Easily recognizing the reference, Kotoko added, "The Matsumoto sisters have athletic ability and smarts."

Mrs. Irie waved those aside. "Onii-chan has those in abundance. What he needs is someone who can provide what he doesn't have. Such as you!" She grasped the younger woman by the shoulders and regarded her fondly.

"I'm not sure that's not an insult," Kotoko said.

"Be sure!" Yuuki averred, walking through with his homework and a glass of juice.

"Oh, hush, you—you _male_!" Mrs. Irie was clearly frazzled. "Kotoko-chan, I heard from your friends that you are dating that so-called study partner now! And even that he was Onii-chan's friend in high school!"

"My friends?" _Why were Satomi and Jinko in communication with Mrs. Irie?_ "I can explain—" She broke off. _No, the information sharing might go both ways, and if that Nakagawa boy found out that she wasn't really Watanabe's girlfriend, then he'd probably start pestering her again to go out with him._

"Well, young lady?" Her foot was tapping. "I'm waiting for you to tell me why you have left Onii-chan for—of all people—his best friend." She wagged a forefinger at her. "Don't you know that kind of thing just isn't done?"

"It's not as if I did it on purpose!" she protested. "And besides, truthfully I didn't leave Irie-kun because he wasn't mine to leave. Our relationship was just a fantasy—on both your and my parts."

"No, no! I'm his mother and I know what's best for him. You are his perfect match. Please, Kotoko-chan," her hands were clasped together as if in prayer, "give him another chance!"

Kotoko sighed. "I'd be more likely to do so if he had ever given _me_ a chance."

"At least tell me that you don't hate him!"

"I don't hate him," she said. "Right now I don't feel that strongly about him to hate him."

"Wh-what?!" Mrs. Irie clutched her chest.

"I'm through with crushing after him. As Yuuki-kun would put it, I was a 'baka' doing that. I'm looking forward now instead of backwards."

"So is this young man going to make you happy?"

Kotoko shook her head. "I don't know. It might be him, or it might be someone I haven't met yet."

"But if Onii-chan changes his mind!" His mother was grasping at straws. "If he proves that he is worthy of you—! What then?"

She just looked at her. "Then I guess he'll have the same chances as anyone else."

"Praise Buddha!" Mrs. Irie raised her arms to the sky. "There is still hope! Now, if only I can figure out where that contrary child has moved to, I could see about convincing him…"

Taking advantage of Mrs. Irie's sights turning on someone else, Kotoko fled up the stairs, almost running over an eavesdropping Yuuki. "Ai!" She caught herself before she fell backwards.

"Man, Kotoko, you sure got her wound up," he declared.

"Don't blame me for that," she countered as she proceeded to her room, trailed by Yuuki. After setting her books down, she turned to him. "Did you tell her that you knew who Watanabe-kun was all along?"

The boy snorted. "Do I look like a baka to you? Then she'd focus all that energy on me!"

"I forgot!" Kotoko laughed. "You're smart. Of course, you're an Irie so that goes without saying."

He nodded his acknowledgment and agreement. "Anyway, I figure it's your business. Watanabe-san always seemed like a nice guy to me, so if that's what you want, I hope it works out."

Kotoko shook her head sadly. "It's not what I _want_ that will make the decision, it's how I _feel_."


	9. Chapter 9

"Ma, what are you doing on campus?" Naoki's voice held a touch of exasperation.

Mrs. Irie spun around. "How did you know it was me?"

"Big sunglasses and funky clothes only go so far. Besides, when have you ever been able to fool me?"

"You're such a spoilsport," she pouted, removing the glasses and twirling them around.

"So what is it this time?" he asked, testily. "And make it quick. I can't dawdle around forever. I _am_ a student, you know."

"Well, dawdling around is what got us into this mess!" she exploded, waving arms around.

"What mess? Wait—what is this 'us'?" Nothing good was going to come from this conversation, he was sure.

"Our family! You and Kotoko! Granted, I may have pushed a little hard when you were in high school—"

"A _little_ hard?"

"—but did you have to go and foul things up royally by living with that girl? Such a ridiculous overreaction to a smidgen of motherly advice."

"I didn't live with Matsumoto! I thought I made that clear. And who the hell is feeding you information? Is it Kotoko?"

Mrs. Irie lifted her chin. "Not at all! That girl keeps her lips locked. Darn! No, If it wasn't for my informants not only would I not have heard about that freshman boy professing a tendre for her, but that she turned him down because she is seeing another!"

"Freshman?" Had Kotoko always been this attractive to other men? Maybe that annoying Osakan had chased them off…

His mother waved away his query. "No, no, she rejected him. I'm speaking about the one you knew in high school!"

That weird sour taste appeared again in his mouth. "Watanabe, you mean?"

"Yes! Yes!" His mother pointed dramatically. "The very one! What a Judas! Pretending to be your good friend and then stealing your girl away during a moment of misunderstanding. Too, too cruel!"

"Mother, have you been overdosing on dramas lately?"

"Onii-chan!" She straightened herself into an offended stance.

"Okay, number one, Watanabe is not pretending anything; I still consider him a good friend. Number two," he swallowed hard, "when was Kotoko ever my girl?"

"If she wasn't it was due to your own laziness!"

He shook his head. "I don't have time for this."

She hastened to his side and clutched his arm. "But Onii-chan, it can't be that you _hate_ dear Kotoko-chan?"

He shoved hair off his forehead while expelling a loud breath. "No, Ma, I don't hate her."

"Do you like her just a little bit?" She squished her forefinger and thumb together to express a minuscule amount.

"Yes, I like her. She's a...nice girl."

She moved in for the kill. "How do you feel when you think of those two together?"

Naoki didn't speak for a moment, then his jaw tightened and he shook her off. "You've taken all the time I have to spare, Ma. We'll have to continue this later, _if you insist,_ but I really hope you don't. Now, I've got to hurry to class." He kissed her cheek quickly and rushed off.

"He didn't answer!" Mrs. Irie breathed as a sly smile crept over her face. "All hope is not lost!"

Passersby must not have been too startled to see a middle-aged woman performing a wild victory dance, since news of it never made the gossip rounds of the university.

* * *

"Kotoko! Kotoko!"

The girl who unluckily bore that name cringed as she entered her father's restaurant. "Yes, Kin-chan?" She had deliberately avoided the school cafeteria for several days, having decided that this encounter would have fewer witnesses if it took place at a less crowded locale.

"What's this I hear about you getting confessed to by another Class A loser?"

"I'm pretty sure that Nakagawa-kun is not a loser, and Jun-kun definitely isn't one."

"Ow!" he howled. "You're on first name basis already."

Kotoko scowled at him. "You're a fine one to talk! Who ordered me to call him by his first name the day we met?"

"Yeah, but I knew we were destined for each other!" he argued as he tried to take hold of her hand; expecting such a move, she hid both of them behind her back. "You'd do yourself a great big favor and save yourself a ton of heartache if you'd tell those nerds to get lost and start dating me!"

Odawara shoved the curtain aside and stuck his head out. "If she hasn't done it in four years, she's not gonna start now!"

"Hey! No comments from the peanut gallery!" Kinnosuke growled.

"Look," the older man shrugged, "I'm a happy man. And do you know why I'm happy? Because when a woman tells me 'No', I accept her answer and don't nag her mercilessly."

"Yes, son," Kotoko's father joined the group, "you'd be better off taking his advice."

"But Otosan—"

"Don't call me 'Otosan'," Mr. Aihara ordered, for about the ninety-third time that year. He gave the boy a friendly shove towards the back, and Odawara gladly moved him along the rest of the way. "But say, daughter," he leaned over the bar, "why haven't I met your young man?"

Kotoko smiled weakly. "He's pretty busy with school. He's studying to be a lawyer."

"A lawyer, eh?" The chef rubbed the bar until he could see his reflection, then looked back up. "Isn't that a little high for you to be reaching, Kotoko? Men like that tend to want their women a little, uh,..."

"Smarter, do you mean?" Her eyebrows met in the middle. "You're starting to sound like Irie-kun. Shame, Dad! Jun-kun knows how I am and still wants to be with me."

"Okay, okay!" He raised his hands in apology and surrender. "I just thought I'd try to look out for you, since you got all upset when things didn't work out with Naoki-kun."

"Well, this and that are two different things. Now I guess I will have to bring him by and introduce him to you."

* * *

"Meet your dad? Sure!" Watanabe was all agreement. "After all, you met both my parents with no warning."

"I'm still sorry about springing it on you," Kotoko apologized again. "It's too late now, but we can go one day after class before they actually open for dinner."

"Do you think he'd mind if we stayed for a meal?" he asked. "We haven't been out in a while." He winked at her. "Except for fast food and snacks."

Kotoko laughed then quickly slapped a hand over her mouth; after all, they were in the library. "As long as you won't mind him choosing the menu and maybe using you as a guinea pig for new dishes. Oh!" Her voice grew hesitant. "I do have to warn you that one of his employees may be a little obnoxious."

"Ah, would that be the Kansai boy from Class F?"

"You know he works there?" She was surprised.

"Um, Irie may have mentioned it. It seems that he interrupted some family celebration and got a little rowdy."

Kotoko closed her eyes in remembrance. "And I drank too much sake that night and threw up all over Yuuki-kun!"

"Don't worry, I'll order water for you." She stuck out her tongue at that remark. "As for the others, I'll be polite to your father and firm to my rival."

"Kin-chan isn't your rival," Kotoko argued. "No one is."

 _Not even Irie?_ he wanted to ask. Instead he simply said, "I'm glad to hear that." He pulled her hand across the table and kissed her palm. He liked it that she didn't pull it away immediately.


	10. Chapter 10

"I declare, that son of mine gets more aggravating every time I talk with him."

No longer did Kotoko ask, "Which son?" for it was quite obvious. "Wonder who he takes after?" she muttered to Yuuki, who only rolled his eyes.

"He refuses to clear his schedule to go on a family vacation during summer break."

"But Obasama," Kotoko felt impelled to point out, "he is almost a legal adult and is living on his own."

"Does that make him any less a member of this family? I think not!"

"Why do you even try to talk sense to her when she's in this sort of mood?" Yuuki asked Kotoko out of the side of his mouth.

"Do you know what that boy has done now?" Mrs. Irie stood in front of the two on the couch and pointed. When they shook their heads in unison, she snapped, "He has taken a summer job! And it's out of town!"

"What about Donny's?" Kotoko asked.

"He said that since a good portion of its clientele is college students that they were willing for him to take a leave of absence. A leave of absence from a part-time job! Imagine that!"

Yuuki elbowed Kotoko to keep quiet but was apparently too late. "Good for him?" she hazarded.

"No!" Mrs. Irie leaned forward, grabbed Kotoko by the shoulders and dragged her off the couch. "Kotoko-chan! You must find out where my baby will be!"

"Uh, how am I supposed to do that?" she asked. "If he won't tell you, he certainly won't spill the beans to me."

"But he did let out that he found this job through that tennis captain, the one with the unsightly mustache! You know the one!"

"Sudo-sempai?"

"That's him! I'm sure you'll be able to weasel the information out of him. I'll give you some money in case you have to bribe him with food, like before."

"Obasama! I absolutely refuse!"

* * *

"So he's working for your family's vacation hotel in Kiyosato?" Kotoko signaled for another plate.

"Yep!" Sudo kept shoveling it in. "They lost a couple part-time workers so Irie and I are going to help out. Say," he grinned at her, a dot of broccoli stuck to a front tooth, "it's nice of you to buy me dinner, but I would have told you for a lot less than this feast."

"Think nothing of it," she sighed. "Someone else is footing the bill."

* * *

"Here you go, Jun-kun!" Mr. Aihara personally delivered a small plate to the table. "I've been experimenting with some healthier recipes—not that you need to worry about that!—and I'd appreciate it if you'd give your opinion on the taste."

"It would be my pleasure, Ojisan," he replied with a smile.

After her father left, Kotoko approached and refilled Watanabe's water glass. "Who knew that you and my dad would get on like a house afire?" she asked, almost grumpily. She poked his cheek until he smiled at her. "You even give him the dimple!"

"Sorry!" he laughed. "Did you reserve it only for yourself?"

She sighed loudly and picked up an empty dish. "We could have spent more time together this summer if I hadn't had to escape from Obasama's clutches."

* * *

Mrs. Irie had sprung the news on them at breakfast. "Attention, everyone!" The remainder of the household, with the exception of Mr. Aihara who was still in his room, turned to the matriarch. "I have managed to make reservations at Romance Villa, where Onii-chan has escaped this summer."

"He didn't run far enough," Yuuki whispered to Kotoko across the table.

His mother gave him a steely-eyed stare. "We are going out there to check on him—uh, have a family vacation—in spite of his plans. There are hiking paths, and horses, and oh, Kotoko-chan, be sure to pack your swimsuit."

A piece of toast went down the wrong way, and Mr. Irie was kind enough to pound her on the back. "Me?" she croaked when she had her breath back.

"Of course, you!" Mrs. Irie looked offended. "How else can we get Onii-chan to see you outside of the school environment? I know that the fresh air and beauties of nature will stir his heart!"

"Obasama, you do recall that I am dating someone else?"

"Pshaw!" This objection was waved away. "Obviously he is merely a substitute for the one who has been in your heart so long. Don't tell me that if Onii-chan suddenly started chasing you that you wouldn't break up with that young man in a New York minute?"

Kotoko stared at her, mouth open in shock. Granted, her heart had jumped a little, but this was too, too bad of Mrs. Irie, pulling that line on her. "Um, I don't know if I will be able to make it."

"Nonsense! What could be more important than your family?"

 _Family!_ "Please excuse me." Kotoko bowed and ran to her father's room. "Otosan?" She knocked softly on the door. "Are you awake yet?"

* * *

"Well, at least he gave you a paying job," Watanabe took her hand out of sight of the bar.

"Yeah, as long as I promised not to try to cook anything!" She smiled when the elusive dimple appeared again, only to vanish when they were interrupted.

"Hey, Kotoko!" Kinnosuke had managed to sneak up on her blind side. "Doncha need to take care of your other tables?"

She glanced over. "I checked them before coming over here. They're fine."

"I don't know. You're still such a newbie at the restaurant business. You need to follow my advice." He pointed a thumb at his chest. "I'm your sempai here, after all!"

Kotoko made a face at him. "Okay, _Kin-pai_ , I'll make my rounds again." She began to walk away but was pulled up short. Watanabe lifted the hand he still held to his mouth and kissed it, to Kinnosuke's obvious displeasure. Watanabe was getting almost as bad as Naoki for aggravating her former classmate. Kotoko rolled her eyes and thought, _Men!_

After she left, Kinnosuke scurried back over. "You better watch yourself, Class A!" he hissed.

Noticing Kotoko's father emerging from the kitchen, he raised an eyebrow and fired back, "Same to you."

"Kinnosuke! What are you doing out on the floor right now? Those radishes aren't going to peel themselves! Why I put up with an imbecile like you is beyond me."

* * *

Mrs. Irie called several times during the week away begging Kotoko to reconsider. "You won't believe this, but those tennis sisters live near here. They stop by every day and beg Onii-chan to play with them!"

"Not my business, Obasama," Kotoko answered wearily. However, she couldn't resist asking, "Does he?"

"No, and that's the only good thing to come out of this trip," she fretted. "He is extremely diligent in his duties. Why, do you know, there were a couple of other harpies staying here that tried to draw him off, but he turned them down flat! Yuuki-kun was watching over him and witnessed the entire thing!"

Yikes! She had enlisted the family in her crusade. Kotoko felt that she really had dodged a bullet. "Are you enjoying yourselves otherwise? Didn't you say there was beautiful scenery around there?"

"Oh, _now_ you're interested!" Mrs. Irie was a little waspish. "Well, I suppose if you like the rural and fairly primitive setting… But that mustache man keeps Onii-chan working all the time! I had to almost bring out the tears to make him agree to let my own son spend the evening with his family!"

"It _is_ Sudo-san's family business," Kotoko reminded her.

"Yes, yes, but it would be so much more fun if you were here with us!"

"It just wasn't meant to be this time." Kotoko glanced at the clock. "Oops! I've got to go. There's a festival tonight. Bye!"

"Wait! Are you going with that young man?" Mrs. Irie stared at her phone. Had Kotoko hung up on her? She shook her head. _Nonsense! It was probably a cell tower glitch._

* * *

A/N: I played around with flashbacks this chapter. Just in case I confused anyone, here's what happened: Mrs. Irie wanted Kotoko to go with the family for a week to stalk Naoki in Kiyosato. Kotoko asked her Dad to help her get out of it, so he gave her a job at his restaurant but made her work the entire summer break instead of just the week the Iries were gone. During that time, Mr. Aihara took a liking to Watanabe, who visited often to see Kotoko. Kin-chan was not amused.


	11. Chapter 11

One good thing you could say about Obasama, Kotoko decided an hour later, was that she was an expert at helping one get dressed in traditional Japanese costume. She tugged at the band around her waist; she supposed the yukata fit properly. But after a close inspection of the geta, she decided to wear comfortable shoes. _I'm clumsy enough_ , she thought. _No need to fall headlong into traffic._

She had just finished changing bags when the doorbell rang. Despite the sensible footwear, she almost tripped running down the stairs, calling for her father. Thus she was out of breath when she opened the door to Watanabe and his parents.

Everyone bowed greetings to each other. After Mr. Aihara cheerfully invited the Watanabe parents to drop by his restaurant "Any time!", Mrs. Watanabe approached Kotoko and unobtrusively straightened and tucked in the pieces of her attire. She winked at the younger woman before stepping back to her husband's side. "It's so difficult to do alone, isn't it?"

"Ai," Mr. Aihara mourned, "my poor girl was cursed with a clumsy father. After I knotted her hair once instead of braiding it, she told me that she would do everything herself."

When all members of the group smiled at his remark, Mrs. Watanabe caught Kotoko poking a finger in her son's dimple. "Ah!" she exclaimed, "that is just what my husband used to do when we were dating."

When he hugged her and said, "I never stopped doing that," Kotoko stepped away slightly and rubbed the back of her neck, blushing.

Watanabe pulled her hand down and held it. "If you have finished embarrassing us, maybe we could get on our way? Mom and Dad," he turned to Kotoko, "decided to have a date of their own—not at the festival—and are just dropping us off." Thus admonished by their son, the couple bid farewell to Kotoko's father and showed her to the car.

* * *

After Kotoko and Watanabe had wandered the festival booths and exhibits for about half an hour, they ran into Jinko. "Junpei's band is playing this afternoon," she informed them proudly. They promised to make their way to the stage at the appointed time and once more separated.

Having encountered one of her friends, it did not surprise Kotoko to run into Satomi and Ryo as well. They joined forces and attended the concert—a little loud for some tastes—as a quartet. Later they staked out a good viewing spot for the evening fireworks, making sure to save room for Jinko and her boyfriend, who had yet another set before he was free for the night.

Overhearing a conversation about camera exposure settings for the upcoming fireworks, Kotoko whispered to Satomi, "That would be a question that Obasama could answer."

Her friend slapped her arm. "Don't mention her or she might show up, her older son in tow, demanding that you trade partners!"

Kotoko laughed and agreed that it sounded just like her. She then wondered aloud about the possibility of taking a selfie with the fireworks as a background. She and Satomi worked on angles and were preparing to take some test photos when the men intervened.

"You don't want to appear to be a couple of losers without dates," Ryo teased. "You need to take the pictures with us!"

Satomi pouted and patted his chest. "Feeling left out, sweetheart?"

Kotoko rolled her eyes then turned to Watanabe. "How about you?"

"Just being here with you is enough, although I wouldn't mind a picture of the two of us."

"Why not?" she responded. "That's something we haven't done yet. Let's try it out."

* * *

Although later pictures with the exploding fireworks did not come out clearly, Kotoko still posted the "practice" pictures on her social media page.

"I knew it!" Mrs. Irie exclaimed when she scrolled through her phone on her daily Internet stalking mission. "She's out with that interloper! Look, Onii-chan! See what you've been missing!"

Naoki paused in the raking of mulch and spared the screen a brief glance. "It's a good picture of them" was all he said upon viewing their faces, huddled together.

"Yes, Kotoko-chan always looks adorable, not that _you_ would ever admit it." She squinted at the small image. "If only I had been there, I could have arranged her hair in a cuter style. But never mind, I'll do it for the seijin-shiki. Aihara-san asked me to select her kimono, and oh, you should see what I have planned! She will look so precious that I know you won't be able to resist your stubborn heart then!"

"Mama, you're talking to yourself," Yuuki stated as he approached her from behind.

"What?!" Her head shot up and turned in all directions. "Where did he go? When did he leave? What a bothersome boy he is!"

Meanwhile, hidden behind a copse of trees, Naoki diligently moved on to the kitchen garden. He felt a niggle of irritation as he recalled the few times that he and Kotoko had taken pictures together. That Christmas photo with Kotoko jumping away in surprise and embarrassment—why had he allowed his aggravation at his mother to goad him into teasing her just before the shutter closed? If he hadn't done that, would a picture of him and Kotoko also have a place on her timeline? He wondered at the lack of exasperation he felt at the idea: had his mother's tendency to be a busybody caused him to cut off his nose to spite his face? Was it possible—

The purr of a familiar engine in the circular driveway interrupted his self-examination and had him ducking even further under cover. _Damn! The Matsumotos_ — _again!_ As they spied him and caroled his name while advancing, all he could think of to say was what he was shoveling. "Shit!"

* * *

The new semester began while the summer's heat still lingered. Naoki no longer felt the thrill of independence at his job at Donny's. The days, which even before the break had seemed to blend together in a boring pattern due to the absence of a certain lively visitor, became truly monotonous.

As he mopped a spill one evening after closing, he heard footsteps from behind. Before he knew it, arms had encircled his waist and someone was pressing their—her—body against his back. Based upon the schedule for the day, the height of the person, and a familiar light fragrance, he asked, "Matsumoto-san, what do you think you're doing?"

If anything, he was hugged tighter. "When you were tutoring Ayako, you called me 'Yuuko'."

"That was to differentiate between you because there were two of you. That's not the case now. Please let go."

He could feel her muscles clench against his effort to break her hold. "Are you sure you want to do that, Irie-kun?" she asked. "There's no one to get in our way now that that annoying Aihara isn't dogging your heels all the time."

"Leave Kotoko out of this." He set aside the mop and freed himself.

She stepped back and regarded him with a brooding expression. "What is it about that girl that seems to attract all the men? By any objective standard, I should be more preferred."

"I'm sure there are many who would be happy to receive your attention," he told her. "Sudo, for one."

She hissed her opinion of the suggestion. "That imbecile!" She approached Naoki again and grasped his arm, stilling the mop. "What can I do to make you look at me as a woman?"

He took hold of her hand and removed it from his arm. While still grasping it, he said harshly, "Be careful how you present yourself to someone who has never professed feelings of affection for you, Matsumoto-san, or they might accept what you appear to be offering."

"And—will you?" she asked, for once her voice almost timid.

He opened his hand and set her free. "No," he said firmly, "to do so would be ungentlemanly and untrue to myself." He leaned down to pick up the bucket and carried the cleaning supplies to the back.

She stood there for a few moments then wiped her eyes with a clean napkin. "So ends my hopes for a future with my high school crush." She sniffed. "Fate must really be playing favorites, because I've liked him just as long as Aihara has."

* * *

A/N: To clarify Matsumoto's last statement, she had met Naoki at various tennis tournaments while they were in high school (if not earlier). So she _would_ be able to say that she had liked him long before she made her actual appearance in the story.

A/N2: Sorry for the delay in posting. Take holiday craziness and a paragraph that was giving me fits, this chapter just wouldn't come together as I wanted.


	12. Chapter 12

"Your birthday party? Of course I'm interested, Kotoko." Watanabe smiled gently at her.

"Well, I just hope Obasama behaves," Kotoko fretted, rotating an earring with one hand. "She still hasn't given up on me and Irie-kun."

"You think there will be a problem if I show up?"

"She's the one with the problem," Kotoko averred. "But maybe with witnesses she won't be too outrageous."

Watanabe shook his head. "I still can't believe that the staid and sober Irie has a mother so emotional and volatile."

She smiled in remembrance. "Yeah. She used to drive him absolutely crazy. If you had seen him yelling back at her, you wouldn't call him so serious."

 _And the reactions were probably in reference to you somehow,_ he thought to himself. _Maybe he had more feelings than he let on_. Out loud he asked, "So do you have a list of presents that you'd like?"

"No, no!" She waved her hands in denial. "I didn't ask you for a gift. I'd just like to have your company."

"Oh, as a buffer between you and Mrs. Irie?"

"A buffer?" She looked puzzled then shook her head. "No. It's just that Satomi and Jinko are bringing their boyfriends, and I don't want to be the odd one out."

He sighed. "So you just need me for my body."

Kotoko blinked. "Say, what?"

"Just joking, sweetheart." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "I may be a bad boy though." She cocked her head in inquiry. "I can't let your birthday pass without some sort of gift."

"Oh!"

* * *

"Onii-chan, have you asked off work for the 28th yet?"

Naoki balanced his phone on his shoulder as he folded laundry. "Was I supposed to, Mom?"

"It's Kotoko-chan's birthday! And you pride yourself on having such a great memory!"

"I remember the date, Ma. I just don't know what my work has to do with it," he complained.

"Her party, of course!"

"Of course," he muttered.

His mother continued on, unfazed. "All of her friends as well as the close family will be in attendance. Even that boy, your so-called friend."

"Watanabe is 'so-called' because he _is_ my friend," Naoki reminded her.

"That makes it even more imperative that you show up and remind Kotoko-chan of how much better you are."

"Mom, are you at all in touch with reality?"

"Onii-chan!"

"Look, even _I_ don't enjoy recalling how I treated Kotoko the past two years. I don't think you can say that I'm better for her than Watanabe."

Mrs. Irie, for once, let a few seconds elapse in silence. "Naoki," she asked in a hushed tone, "do you regret being mean and cruel to Kotoko-chan?"

"If I admit it, will you promise not to bring it up in every future conversation?" He let out a frustrated sigh. "It's just...I don't think I behaved well towards her."

"Well, maybe you didn't, but at least you were _there_! If not at her side, then close by, able to help her out when she needed it. Now, with you living who-knows-where, she can't see that you've had a change of heart. That's why you have to take advantage of this opportunity. Show up and show her the difference."

"I don't know, Mom. They seem pretty solid."

"Nonsense! If there's one person that I know better than you, it's Kotoko-chan! She still loves you, even if she has buried it some. All you have to do is exhume those feelings."

"Not exactly a verb designed for romance, Ma, but I get the idea. I'll try to make it to the party."

"Try? Try? Do it!" Mrs. Irie urged as she unconsciously mangled the catchphrases of both a sports manufacturer and a certain green Jedi master.

* * *

"Yowser!" Jinko's voice was awed. "Mrs. Irie sure goes to extremes, doesn't she?"

"I'll say!" Satomi agreed. The girls and their male companions had been taken aback by the over-the-top decorations. The outside of the Irie home rivalled some retail stores at Christmas time, decorated in blinking lights around the porch and leading from the gate. There were more lights, streamers and other festive arrangements inside.

"She practically has enough food to feed our entire school in the kitchen," Kotoko informed them.

The hostess, at that moment, headed towards the new arrivals with party hats, luckily of a more sophisticated design than children's cardboard cones. "Satomi-chan! Jinko-chan! Welcome!" she trilled. "And who are these handsome young men accompanying you?" Ryo and Junpei took her exuberance in stride, especially when they caught sight of the snacks on trays around the room.

Yuuki was not-so-happily carrying one around, offering them to people as they mingled. "Sorry about this!" Kotoko apologized to him for the fourth time that evening.

He sighed. "It's my own fault for agreeing to dress in a suit. How was I to know that she would put me to work as a waiter?" He looked over her shoulder, and his eyes sharpened. "Onii-chan's here!"

Kotoko turned automatically, and her heart almost stopped when she saw Naoko and Watanabe at the door. Naoki politely bowed his friend in ahead of him. When Mrs. Irie made a beeline for her elder son, Watanabe managed to reach Kotoko's side.

"Well, that was a little awkward," he admitted, tugging on his collar. "We ran into each other in the street outside."

"He wasn't rude to you, was he?" she asked anxiously.

'Not at all!" He patted her hand. "It's just that we've lost, I guess you could say, our easiness together that we had in school."

Her face fell. "It's my fault, isn't it?"

"No, no! Don't blame yourself! Actually—" At this point he was interrupted by the lady of the house.

"Kotoko-chan!" Mrs. Irie swept between them. "Look who just arrived! Onii-chan rearranged his schedule so he could celebrate your birthday with you!" She had a tight grip on Naoki's wrist and had dragged him over.

"Thank you, Irie-kun." Kotoko bowed slightly.

"Felicitations on turning twenty, Kotoko," he said.

"So stiff!" his mother chided. "At least give her a hug in greeting!"

He rolled his eyes. "Not appropriate in front of her boyfriend, Ma."

Mrs. Irie jumped, as if just now seeing Watanabe. "Oh, you're here?" she asked, almost disappointedly. "Come with me and let me get you a party hat."

Thus left with Naoki, Kotoko turned back to him and smiled. "Thank you for coming."

One corner of his mouth tilted up. "You already said that."

"I know." She laughed. "I guess I'm not sure what to say."

"That's a change." She looked at him inquiringly. "You used to never run out of words before."

Her face flushed. "And I bothered you way too much. I'm really sorry, Irie-kun."

"No," he countered. "I'm the one who should be sorry. I don't have a great personality, and I managed to always show you my worst side."

Kotoko twirled a lock of hair with one hand. "I wouldn't say that. You came to my rescue lots of times, even when it wasn't convenient for you. It's saying a lot that you'd do that for someone you didn't like."

He cleared his throat. "That's not exactly the case…"

"Yes, it is a lot!" she insisted.

"No. I mean that it's not true that I didn't like you—"

"Here I am!" Watanabe came back, a wry expression on his face. Mrs. Irie had found a very lacy feminine hat for him. Both Naoki and Kotoko snorted at the same time. "What? You don't like my new fashion accessory?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Kotoko reached up and plucked it off his head. "What in the world was she thinking?"


	13. Chapter 13

Despite Kotoko warning all of her friends not to bring gifts, most of them had not arrived empty-handed. She expressed her appreciation while scolding them for their extravagance. The show-stopper, however, did not come from the younger generation. Her father presented her with an elaborate kimono in a large designer box. "It's for your seijin-shiki in January," he explained while wiping at the corner of his eye. "I got the Missus to pick it out for you, with me being a single father and all."

"Otosan!" she exclaimed in awe. "It's gorgeous!" Her female friends all oohed and aahed over it. Mrs. Irie explained that her gift was going to be matching shoes and the flower for her hair.

"But Obasama!" Kotoko protested. "You already gave me this dress!" The form-fitting jersey with swinging skirt had previously prompted several compliments from the girls and a couple of whistles from the boys.

Mrs. Irie waved that away. "Just a trifle! I want you to look special when you and Onii-chan go to the town center together, just like husband and wife."

You could have heard a pin drop after her last pronouncement. Mr. Irie was frantically waving his hands "No!" at her while Yuuki spurted juice out his nose. Naoki placed a hand over his eyes and bowed his head. Satomi and Jinko worriedly looked from him to Watanabe, who calmly handed Kotoko an envelope. "Happy birthday," he said. "And don't tell me that I shouldn't have."

With the attention back on Kotoko as she slowly opened the envelope, conversation again started up. "Oh!" she exclaimed with a happy smile. "An iTunes card! Well, I guess I won't get too mad at you. My favorite band just released a new album last week."

"That's all well and good," Mrs. Irie interposed, "but Onii-chan, didn't you bring something for Kotoko?"

"I changed my work schedule and showed up, Ma. Isn't that enough?"

"Very funny. It's her birthday!" she scolded him. "Kotoko-chan always remembers you on your birthday and Christmas and Valentine's Day—"

"Not always," he muttered.

"—and the least you can do is reciprocate."

"All right." Naoki turned to Kotoko. "I'll give you a gift later—in private." He glared at his mother.

"Uh, sure, okay," Kotoko answered hesitantly. "So!" She turned to the rest of the crowd. "Anyone want more cake?"

* * *

Satomi and Jinko—and, of course, Ryo and Junpei—were among the last of the party-goers to leave. Mr. Irie and Mr. Aihara had taken shelter in the back room an hour earlier, and Naoki was talking quietly with Yuuki about school. After shooting Watanabe a glare, Mrs. Irie finally retired to the kitchen, and they could hear a clatter of dishes all the way to the front door.

Watanabe gave Kotoko a half grin. "It looks like I've worn out my welcome."

"Don't pay too much attention to her," Kotoko pleaded, "but I suppose I should go back and help her soon."

He smiled. "Even being the birthday girl, you still feel that way. You are a very nice person, 'Kotoko-chan'." He gave her name the particular inflection that Mrs. Irie always did.

She ducked her head and giggled. "Thank you."

Glancing behind her with care, Watanabe asked, "Do you think they will think anything is amiss if you bid me goodbye outside?"

"I don't see why." She opened the door and led the way out. They walked through the gate and strolled a few meters down the street, hidden from prying eyes by the brick fence. "It's a beautiful night, isn't it?" she commented, looking at the stars above them.

"Not as beautiful as the girl beside me," he said, clasping her hand.

"Oh!" Kotoko made a sound between a laugh and a gasp. "I know I'm not—"

He placed a hand over her mouth. "You are to me, so no arguments." She nodded once. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course you can," she said, her forehead furrowing slightly.

"May I...kiss you?" he whispered.

Kotoko blinked. "You're asking? Since we've moved into dating each other, I thought that came with the territory."

He smiled slowly. "I know your feelings are still uncertain. I didn't want to take advantage." She began to shake her head but stilled when he placed his hands on her shoulders. He leaned down and softly caressed her lips with his for several seconds. He was alarmed to find that there were tears in her eyes when he raised his head. "I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't—"

Now it was her turn to place a hand over his mouth. "Don't apologize. It's just that that was the most...honest kiss that I've ever had." She laughed. "Honest, just like your name."

Greatly moved, he leaned down and kissed away the moisture that had fallen from her eyes. "I'll always be honest with you, Kotoko," he promised.

They only had a few more moments to enjoy their privacy, as Mrs. Irie opened the front door and called for her. "Kotoko-chan! It's getting too chilly! Come inside now!"

The two laughed together. "She's grasping at straws, using the temperature, isn't she?" Watanabe said before touching her mouth once more. "Go in, or she'll work herself into an aneurysm."

"All right!" She laid a hand briefly on his cheek before scurrying to the gate. "Here I am, Obasama!" she called.

"I can't have you catching your death of cold on your birthday," Mrs. Irie scolded. She held the back of her hand to the girl's forehead. "See, you're already feverish!"

"Not at all!" Kotoko argued. "I feel great. Do you need help with the dishes?"

"No, no, they're all under control. After all, it is your day today. Yuuki-kun, come with me," she ordered as she retreated once more.

Kotoko let out a relieved breath, grateful for the opportunity to sort out her feelings about what had just happened outside. After all, it was only the second time that she had been kissed, and she still wondered why the first time had even happened! _And speak of the devil..._

Naoki came down the stairs and approached her. "Watanabe left unscathed?"

"Mm-hm," she answered as she mechanically moved items in the living room back to their usual, pre-party location. "Oh!" She stood upright suddenly. "You said something about a gift. You know it's not necessary. There's no need to spend your money on me."

"It's not money," he assured her. "It's time—that is, if you want it."

"Time?" she asked, confused.

He looked away. "I know that Watanabe is helping you with classes, but, being pre-law, it's a given that his course schedule is pretty full. I just wanted to let you know that you can ask me if he's not able to assist you."

"Wow," she said, eyes wide, "you're actually serious. Volunteering to help me again without blackmail or motherly nagging?"

He laughed shortly. "Strange behavior for me, I know." He looked at her steadily. "Again, I apologize for the way I treated you in the past. Please let me try to make up for my...bad behavior."

"Well, I suppose I can keep you in mind…" she began.

"If it will help convince you, I have to admit—with no arrogance whatsoever—that although Watanabe and I are about equal in written English, I am the superior in spoken. So if you need help with your pronunciation, I'm your man."

After a hitch in her breath at those last three words, she managed a grin for him. "You've heard me in Advanced English. I'm barely understandable."

"So you'll accept?" He seemed strangely eager.

"Sure," she laughed, "but where would we do it? Remember all those interruptions from Obasama when you taught me before."

He made a face. "And the library won't do because we'll need to be talking. We should probably meet where conversation is expected, such as a restaurant."

"Donny's?" she asked, trying to make it as convenient as possible for him.

He hesitated then shook his head. "No. There would be...complications." Matsumoto was still employed there, and although they had an uneasy truce, he feared bringing Kotoko into her range for an extended period of time.

"Okay! I'll call you later and we can decide then."

"Right. Well, I've got to go." He paused and placed a palm on one of her cheeks. "Happy birthday, Kotoko."

She closed the door behind him and unconsciously laid her own hand on her cheek. _It did feel warm,_ she noted to herself.

Mrs. Irie flattened herself against the wall around the corner leading to the kitchen. _Yes!_ She did a silent fist pump. _They will finally spend some time together_ — _alone!_


	14. Chapter 14

Kotoko had little time to bask in the afterglow of her birthday party. Less than a week later Sudo tracked her down on the far side of campus and insisted that she attend the tennis meeting that day. Since it was not one of her "regular" practice days, per her agreement with him earlier in the school year, she was sitting in the back, griping quietly about the captain with a couple of sympathetic, non-headlining players. She was startled back to reality by his rude bellow. "Aihara!"

"Eek! Uh, yes?" she asked, turning to him, blushing because everyone was now staring at her.

"You got that?"

"Got what?" She grinned, tugging on an ear.

"The tennis tournament at Waseda in three weeks—you're the designated female alternate for mixed doubles second team."

"No!" she cried instinctively. Amid onlookers' giggles, she jumped up and dragged him towards the door. "Why are you doing this to me? You know I'm not a game-ready player."

"Yeah, Aihara, everyone in the club knows that," he agreed.

"Then _why_?"

"It looks bad, you being an upperclassman and having Little Sister Matsumoto jump ahead of you as a freshman."

"But I don't care about that," she argued. "Leave me out of the rotation."

"No!" He set his jaw. "You're the alternate, and that's that!"

"I can't do anything about it?" she pled.

"You can pray that nothing happens to Little Sister Matsumoto." He grinned at her. "She's partnered with Irie on team two."

"Irie-kun—?" She mouthed "Help" at him, but he just shook his head.

"Another one of Sudo's crazy ideas," he informed her. "You'll just have to roll with the punches. And, as he said, 'Pray'."

* * *

Mrs. Irie was over the moon. "You're playing in a tennis match with Onii-chan?"

"No, Obasama," Kotoko corrected her. _Why did she continue to hear only what she wanted to hear?_ "I'm the alternate for his partner."

"Oh! Is it that superior-looking curly haired girl?" she asked with a sour expression.

"Close," Kotoko responded. "She's her little sister. And she's well used to playing in front of an audience. She went to the Nationals several times." She shuddered. "I'd hate all those eyes on me."

Mrs. Irie waved away Kotoko's concerns. "Once you get on the court you won't feel like anyone is watching you."

"I doubt that," she muttered.

"If you do, just follow the advice I was given and that I gave Onii-chan when he started playing."

Kotoko's head popped up. "What was that?"

"Just think of those people in the audience as pumpkins! Vegetables can't harm you, can they?"

Yuuki, who had been a silent witness to their conversation, couldn't help but butt in. "Maybe if Kotoko cooks 'em!" After deftly catching the pillow she threw at him he continued, "But I believe that, strictly speaking, pumpkin is a fruit, since it is a fertilized ovary from a flower."

"Yuuki-kun!" Mrs. Irie was aghast. "What kind of language is that? Is this what they're teaching you in school?"

"Huh? A few months ago you told me not to act so innocent. Man, I can't win around this house!"

While her tennis mentor's attention was on her son, Kotoko fled to her room.

* * *

"So you'll be coming to our campus?" Watanabe was delighted when she informed him that evening by phone. "I'll make sure to keep that afternoon free. Although all my friends will be supporting our school's players, I'll make sure to cheer when you're on the court."

"There's only a slim chance that I'll play," she reminded him. "I'm just an alternate."

"Since that's the case, you won't be worn out at the end of the day. Maybe we could have dinner somewhere afterwards and I could see you home."

"Hey!" Kotoko bounced on her bed. "That's the best news about the tournament that I've had all day!"

* * *

With the almost negligible likelihood that she would even have to set foot on the court, Kotoko still decided that it wouldn't hurt to try and polish her rusty sub-par skills. Thus, she stood in the out-of-bounds area behind the court where Naoki and Matsumoto Ayako were pounding balls past their teammates on the other side of the net.

Concentrating on their movements, she mirrored their swings at each ball sent their way. It was too much to hope that the players would not notice, especially when their opponents began missing balls left and right due to laughter.

"I assume this has some sort of explanation?" Naoki stood, one hand on a hip.

"Would you believe...image training?" At his exasperated huff, Kotoko ducked her head. "Well, Sudo-san still won't let me onto the court even though he put me down as alternate. I thought it wouldn't hurt to try to copy the strokes of the two top team members. But...I guess I'm in the way." She began to shuffle towards the gate.

Naoki let out a resigned sigh while Ayako tried to stifle a laugh. "Wait!" When she turned expectantly, he said, "Let's at least try to get _something_ accomplished. We'll work on your pronunciation of vocabulary words while we play. I'll call them out in Japanese and you say them in English."

"How clever," Kotoko marvelled, "but my list is in the dressing room."

Naoki raised an eyebrow. " _I_ remember them."

"Oh, right." She took the proper tennis stance. "I forgot you were Mr. Perfect Brain."

Even with the distraction behind them, the team of Irie/Matsumoto proved their superiority. Ayako got into the spirit and started calling out words when Naoki was running after baseline balls.

"Oi! That's not on the list!" Kotoko complained.

"Go ahead and answer it," Naoki commanded. "It's not as if it won't ever show up in class."

Club members who weren't needed elsewhere gathered to watch the entertainment, which occasionally included arguments between Team Two's players over the proper pronunciation. Their disputes ended when it was determined that the Matsumoto English tutor had been from Britain, and Naoki insisted that, to be consistent, Kotoko should only use one accent. "Don't confuse her any more than she already will be," he advised Ayako. Kotoko stuck out her tongue behind him.

Sudo and Matsumoto also completed their practice matches and joined the audience at the back, where players conversed while enjoying the diversion.

"Doesn't Aihara have a boyfriend?" one asked.

Another noted, "She and Irie are sure close."

Matsumoto sniffed and stalked back to the dressing room after that.


	15. Chapter 15

The day of the tournament, Kotoko woke in a brilliant mood. Ayako had suffered no injuries during the weeks of training and had shown no indication of illness, such as sneezes or coughs. So it was bound to be a great day where she could just watch her teammates play and then have a nice quiet meal with Watanabe. Her "boyfriend", she corrected herself, although she still had yet to call him such out loud. For four years she had only used Naoki's name in the same sentence as that word… She shook her head at her foolishness and sat in front of the vanity.

Her hair arranged in curly pigtails and a change of clothes in her bag, Kotoko chatted happily on the bus ride to Waseda. She had felt a moment of panic when neither of the Matsumoto girls had shown up but relaxed when Sudo announced that Matsumoto Yuuko was driving her own car and that her sister would be accompanying her.

She and a friend were at the dressing room window, trying to locate Watanabe in the bleachers—Mrs. Irie and Yuuki were easy to spot—when someone nearby said, "I wonder what's going on" a few minutes before Team Two's doubles match.

She turned to see Sudo and Matsumoto huddled together, speaking in hushed tones with anxious looks on their faces. Looking around, she did not spy Ayako and muttered, "I've got a bad feeling about this" when Naoki was called to their little group. Sure enough, Sudo and Naoki headed her direction. She backed away into a wall, appalled. "No, no, no," was all she managed.

"Aihara! Buck up!" Sudo was bellowing as if he held a racquet in his hand. "You have no choice—you are the designated alternate."

"Don't scare her, Sempai," Naoki chided him. He placed both hands on her shoulders. "Come on, Kotoko," he coaxed, "we've played together before. At tennis camp, remember?"

She nodded. They had spent half their waking hours together in exhausting and painful training. Even with all that, they had still lost.

"We'll use the same strategy—I'll make all the shots and you avoid the balls."

Kotoko shook her head. "It won't work any better than it did then. Even worse, probably. They'll figure it out quickly and just aim all the shots my way, like Matsumoto and Sudo did."

"Well, we'll make it so they won't want to send any shots your way." Before Kotoko could do more than blink at him, he gestured to several of the female tennis players. "Come on, you've got to make her scary-looking. Right now it seems like she's all primped up for a date."

 _But I am!_ Kotoko fumed to herself. Before she knew it, her so-called friends had used makeup remover wipes to scrape her face bare to the pores, while others had ruthlessly brushed her hair into tightly braided pigtails. "My scalp hurts, and my face feels frozen," she complained.

Naoki nodded when they presented the altered Kotoko to him. "Now you need a mean expression. Come on!" he urged her. The growing circle laughed at her first attempt. "Aggressive pomeranian is not what I was looking for." He raised his eyes in thought, then smiled slowly. "Okay, listen up." He bent his head down and stared into Kotoko's eyes. "You and Yuuki are sitting across from each other at the dining room table."

Kotoko thought he had finally lost it, but she still nodded.

"Mom has made her famous fried shrimp. _Your_ favorite."

Despite herself, a soft, "Ooh" escaped Kotoko's lips.

"There's only one piece left." He gripped her shoulder tightly. "Stare Yuuki down. Dare him to reach for it! Yes!" His hand was now patting her head. "That's the look, right?" He turned around to get the team's opinion and found that several members had backed up at her ferocious snarl. "You'll do," he encouraged her.

She muttered to herself between clenched teeth, "Just look at the opponents like this and ignore the pumpkins in the stands."

Naoki sighed. "I see Mother got to you."

* * *

The news of the substitution sent flurries of conversation throughout the stands and teams. Following Naoki's orders, several members silently approached the opponents from behind and listened.

"What great news!" the male member of the team commented.

"Absolutely. I was dreading having to play against Ayako. She beat me in straight sets two years ago in high school."

The Tonan team put their secondary—psychological—plan in action. "You heard that Ayako is late? What a great opportunity for us!"

"Right! She and Irie have been intensively training Aihara for several months as our team's secret weapon. It's been hush-hush, as I heard that they weren't going to use her until spring."

"Yeah, now with Ayako out we get to see their completed product early."

The opponents shared a nervous glance. Maybe they had patted themselves on the back too soon.

They were convinced of this when Kotoko marched grimly onto the court.

"She didn't even acknowledge me!" the female hissed at her partner.

"Looked right through us, she did!" he agreed.

* * *

Kotoko's muscles cramped from hunching over and leaning from side to side when a ball headed her way, glare unabated. Naoki warned her harshly not to relax during breaks or side changes.

At match's end, she stalked stiffly to the dressing room after shaking hands. Naoki found her moaning and kneading her facial muscles. "Kotoko! You did great!" he, winded and perspiring, complimented her.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" she yowled as he massaged the stiff muscles of her shoulders. "You meanie! Don't make me go back out there."

He leaned his head down and whispered an apology. "I'm sorry, but at least it won't be right away."

Tennis club members watching from the door muttered to each other, "Are you _sure_ those two aren't together?"

* * *

In the stands, Watanabe's companion turned to him. "Wow. That was some crazy strategy your girlfriend and her partner used."

"Yeah," he responded, "they absolutely stunned the other team."

"I thought you said she didn't play well."

"That's what she told _me_."

"Those were two of our top players. She and—what's his name? Irie?—must have great rapport to pull off that upset."

Watanabe made no reply as he spent several minutes pondering that statement.

* * *

Mrs. Irie was hopping up and down while holding poor Yuuki in a stranglehold of a hug. "Did you see? Did you see? I told you she and Onii-chan made a good pair!"

* * *

Matsumoto Ayako strolled into the dressing room unnoticed until Kotoko rushed over and fell on her in a long embrace. "What happened to you?!"

"I made the mistake of trusting public transportation instead of riding with my cranky sister," she informed her. "If I didn't know better, I'd say she has PMS every week."

"Well, thank God you're here at last!" she cried. "Now I won't have to do that again."

"Yeah, I saw the last half of ' _that_ '," Ayako told her. "Pretty impressive, but I'm fairly sure—"

"Sorry." Naoki and Sudo had made their way to the two. "The rules state that if a player is subbed in, they have to complete the tourney as part of that team."

"No!" Kotoko fell onto her knees in despair.

Ayako helped her to her feet. "C'mon, Aihara, you'll be fine. Just remember your 'image training' and keep that scary face on. I'm going to watch the rest of the matches with my ride."

Kotoko stared blearily at her. "Your ride?"

"Yes. One of my classmates saw me trying to flag down a non-existent cab during the train shutdown and biked me over. He collapsed out there on the grassy hill."

"Wow! Biked you halfway across Tokyo. That's some friend."

"I'm just going to snag some cold drinks from under Sudo's nose for the two of us. Oh, by the way," she turned to Kotoko before leaving, "he said he's acquainted with you."

"Me?"

"Nakagawa Taketo. See you!" She saluted her in farewell with the bottles.

"Is this retribution for turning him down?" Kotoko asked the heavens.

* * *

Despite the rest between matches, Naoki was suffering. He had spent well over an hour already running from sideline to sideline, as the opponents had caught onto his strategy to return every ball while his partner stood in intimidation mode. He knew that he didn't have the time to make it across to return the next one, again the width of the court away. He didn't even have the energy to shout, "No!" at his partner when he saw her break her stance.

Kotoko, seeing his distress and not wanting to lose the point, moved to intercept the ball. With a dead "thunk" it struck the racquet rim and the point was lost. However, the opposing team also sensed that Kotoko's façade of strength was just that, and they began to aim all their balls at her.

Indeed, the gig was up. Flailing desperately and assaulted by balls, she managed to get a few of them over the net before Naoki switched their positions. It was no better with her in the back. Although the balls did not hit their target as often, she tripped over her feet even more by avoiding them. Alas, the opponent's aim was true for the final point, and she went down hard when hit squarely in the knee. Panting himself, Naoki assisted her to the net to shake hands then half-carried her off the court.

Inside, Kotoko wailed tearfully as her fellow team members wiped her down to clean off her scrapes. "I'm so sorry, Irie-kun! I ruined your and Matsumoto the Younger's match."

"Don't worry," he assured her. "The result was set the instant we had to appoint you as her replacement."

"That's not too nice of you," she sniffed.

"Au contraire. You lasted a heck of a lot longer than anyone on this team thought you would, I bet." He looked around and all either nodded or verbally agreed. He cupped her cheeks and kissed her damp forehead. "You did great, Kotoko. It was a pleasure playing with you."

She blinked at the affectionate gesture and then decided that she was too tired to decide how she felt about it. Instead, she gave him a wobbly grin. "I don't know that much about it being a pleasure, but thanks. Now that it's over, I wish I could have seen it myself."

"Don't worry. Mom is in the stands with her camera assortment. Believe me, you'll see yourself plenty, at least for the next week or so."

She could only manage a moan in reply.

* * *

Due to her overexertion that day as well as her injuries, Kotoko had to apologize to Watanabe and cry off from the promised date that evening. Saying that he understood completely, he sent her home in Mrs. Irie's sympathetic care.

Watching from a bus window, Naoki observed the brief goodbye and the slow trek to the Irie car, Yuuki shouldering Kotoko's equipment bag. He let out a brief laugh. It had been fun today, despite the loss. He had forgotten how much of a hoot Kotoko could be when she was on a roll. Or maybe, he closed his eyes, he had never allowed himself to notice. The more fool him, then. Sighing, he admitted to a tinge of regret that he was traveling to his lonely apartment on an indirect route instead of heading straight home with the family to a hot bath and soft mattress.

* * *

A/N: Happy New Year! Two chapters today.


	16. Chapter 16

"The reason I had Mother invite you home for dinner, Nao, is that there is a serious problem at the office."

"Really?" Although Naoki was indifferent to the idea of taking over Pandai, he acknowledged his father's concern. "Theft of money as well as intellectual property, eh?" he pondered after hearing the entire story. "I assume you have security looking for Yasuda as well as the funds? Has your team started working on an alternate product to release yet?"

"Yes, of course!" Mr. Irie appeared to take umbrage at the intimation that he did not know his business. "However, I'd also appreciate an outsider's input on the state of affairs." As if his implication wasn't clear enough, he added, "An outsider who will soon be an insider."

Naoki's mouth twisted. "Still trying to shoehorn me in, Dad? I told you that I'm exploring my options."

His father's head drooped. "I understand, son."

"Well, I don't!" Mrs. Irie may have thought she was being sneaky, hiding outside the door, but Naoki jumped not a whit when she barged into the room. "Here is your father, practically _begging_ for your assistance—limited time assistance, no less!—and you brush him off as if he is a stranger! I never raised a son to do such a perfidious thing as that."

"Now, Mother—!" Mr. Irie attempted to calm her.

"I get it." Naoki rested his neck on the back of the couch. "How long, Dad?"

"Oh, I suppose a couple of weeks is all it would take, especially considering your talents and intelligence."

He sighed. "Give me a few days to settle things with my professors and I'll start coming in. But don't think this is a capitulation. I still maintain the right to choose my own profession."

"No, no—!"

"As if your father would ever try to stifle you!" his mother expostulated. He quirked a sardonic eyebrow at her. Ignoring it, her expression turned canny. "But in any case, you'll be happier with a friendly face at the business."

"What are you up to now, Ma?"

"Yes, Mama. We didn't discuss anyth—"

"Kotoko-chan!" she bellowed out the door of the study.

There was a clatter that could be identified as a dropped pan as well as an "Urk!" then Kotoko ran in breathlessly. "What is it?" She hung onto the door frame. "Is anyone hurt?"

"Ready to call 1-1-9 for us?" Naoki laughed. "If my suspicions are correct, you're the one in the most danger."

"What?"

"Kotoko-chan!" Mrs. Irie embraced her. "Onii-chan is going in to help Papa at work. What do you think of assisting him?"

"But I know nothing about the toy business," she replied, confused.

"Pish-tosh!" she scoffed. "There are lots of other things to do besides make toys. You can type up reports, answer the phone, protect Onii-chan from those predatory females that work there—"

"Now, Mama," Mr. Irie broke in, "just because they are ambitious and career-oriented is no reason to call them names."

"Why do you hire so many of them?"

"Believe it or not, Mother," Naoki drawled, "Pandai has embraced the world view that a person's ability to perform a job well is not defined by what gender they are."

"Hmph! Well, they're still a danger—to you! So, how about it, Kotoko-chan?"

"But my classes—" She tried to wiggle out of it. From experience, she suspected (and Naoki knew for sure) that it was a useless endeavor.

"I've seen your schedule," Mrs. Irie reminded her. "Your afternoons are free."

"Tennis?" she tried, but that objection was also waved away. "Really, though, I don't know that I'm cut out for the business world."

"Since you haven't yet made a career decision, what is the harm in checking it out? This will be good exposure to the world of work." _And a good way to separate you from that traitorous friend of Onii-chan's for a while!_

Kotoko pondered the matter then shrugged. Her only job experience so far had revealed that her major talent was balancing plates and bowls in an expert manner. As she couldn't make a career out of that unless she become a juggler, she conceded. "What do I have to lose?"

* * *

As it turned out, the first thing she lost was her employee ID card that would grant her entrance to the building. Actually, it was not lost, just forgotten on the desk in her bedroom, but it amounted to the same thing. So her grand entrance to the Pandai workplace involved Naoki coming downstairs and signing her in with the security guard.

"I'm really sorry, Irie-kun!" she apologized as she scurried behind him.

"Don't worry about it," he told her. "It was a typical Kotoko move, and I should have anticipated it."

"First Obasama forces me on you and then I make you mad. This isn't going well."

He stopped and turned abruptly, catching her before she ran into him. "I'm not upset with you. It's just that this whole idea of Dad's to get me here at Pandai rubs me the wrong way. And honestly," he chuckled, "Mom was right about the predatory females. I'm actually having to expend effort to ward them off."

"So should I guard you then?" She made a couple of fists and grinned up at him.

He patted her on the head. "Don't put yourself in the danger zone on my account."

Indeed, she found herself on thin enough ice due to her own actions. She misprogrammed the photocopier into making two hundred copies of a document instead of twenty. The department workers had barely stopped talking about that mishap when she tripped and dropped a stack of folders that had been sorted into filing order. For her own safety and his peace of mind, Naoki pulled her out of the center of scolding harpies and placed her at the second desk in his temporary office to keep her out of trouble.

After an hour of switching from playing games on her cell phone to watching him run his hands through his hair in frustration at whatever he was reading, she piped up, "Isn't there anything I can do to help?" When he stared at her blankly upon being so suddenly interrupted, she pointed to the stack of binders. "What's the project you're working on?"

"One of Dad's little 'assignments'. The action figure ensemble for our first foray into anime production was supposed to be our leading product this year, but sales are flat. Dad expects me to figure out what's gone wrong and provide a solution to turn the situation around."

"Sounds like a lot of work. What show is it?"

"Here," he pulled a DVD case from the shelf behind him and tossed it at her, "you can watch it on the computer over there." When the theme song blared out, he added, "There are headphones in the top right drawer. Use them, and that's not a suggestion."

"'That's not a suggestion'," Kotoko mocked back at him as she complied. "And I don't even get popcorn."

"I heard that," he told her.

"And yet I'm still without popcorn."

Naoki smiled to himself. She hadn't lowered her voice quite far enough. Having her close by was almost making this job bearable.


	17. Chapter 17

"So, how's life as a junior executive?" Watanabe teasingly asked.

"Not too bad." Kotoko stretched her legs before her on the bed to admire her new toenail polish. "If this was how it really was, I'd drop out of college in a flash."

He stared at his phone before replacing it on his ear. "That response was unexpected."

"Yeah." She giggled. "Irie-kun has me watching cartoons every afternoon. Of course," she sobered, "I'm watching with a purpose now."

"I'm afraid you've lost me." After she spent about five minutes on the explanation, he laughed. "It's just as well I'm studying law. The business world seems to have way too many variables."

"Of course, that could just be me, getting it all wrong," she countered. "But having to go straight from class to work means that we won't be seeing each other as often."

"Well, it won't last forever, and I'm sure you can get a good recommendation from your supervisor," he joked.

* * *

Several days later Kotoko used a wipe to remove the popcorn butter from her fingers before ejecting the last disc from the computer. She stood up from the desk and stretched before walking over to where Naoki sat. "Are your sales figures broken down by boys and girls?"

He looked up at her. "Yes. Let me find them." Even with the myriad of stacks on his desktop, it only took a few seconds to open the proper binder and hand it to her. "Why?"

Kotoko stared at the chart. "Uh, does this little piece of pie stand for the number of girls who buy the figures?"

"Yes, and the one on the following page breaks down the show's viewers by gender as well as age."

"Uh-huh." She flipped back and forth, squinting at the figures. "I think I see your problem."

"Really?" His tone conveyed both doubt and amusement.

"Yeah, really." She pointed to the charts. "Look! The piece of pie for girl watchers is about the same size of pie as girl buyers."

"Well, that is a proper and believable proportion."

"And doesn't this chart," she turned to another page, "show that a lot of girls stopped watching after the first few episodes?" He nodded and she continued, "Do you want to know what turned them off the show?" She leaned over, one hand on her hip, and without waiting for a reply, challenged, "How many boy fighters?"

"Four. And before you ask," he added testily, indicating the action figures displayed on the shelf behind him, "there are only two girl fighters. I am aware of the group's composition."

"And those two strong female characters don't get to do anything but follow the male fighters meekly. They never come up with ideas to defeat the enemy and they never lead the battles and they never throw the first punch."

"They don't?" He stared at her, struck. "I haven't had the chance to watch it yet."

"Well, I'd bet the only ones who did at this company are old fuddy-duddies, and all men too!" she sniffed. "Even those mean girls out there," she waved towards the door, "could have told you this. Women want to be seen as able to do everything, and if Pandai is trying to hire based upon ability, they ought to prove it in their products."

He set his chin on his fist. "You could be right. We outsourced the first season since we didn't have the department fully staffed at the time. We don't yet have any women in top executive positions, so none of the board members reviewing it saw anything wrong with the plots."

"They need to get with the times!" She snorted, "Didn't 'Wonder Woman' trounce all the other movies when it came out? And here," she pointed to the figures, "you have two super-powerful women who might as well be knitting socks for all the good they're allowed to do!"

"Thanks, Kotoko!" Naoki stepped out from behind the desk and clasped her upper arms. "I think you've given me the solution." He kissed her forehead with a loud smack. "Now, can you go fix a pot of coffee? It's going to take awhile for me to get it all written in a persuasive manner, since I need to bring the old farts ahead in time a generation or two."

"That's what I'm talking about!" Kotoko pulled her fingers away from the place where his lips had pressed and stomped a foot in protest. "You're having me make coffee just because I'm a woman."

He stared at her in stupification for a moment then laughed. "You're wrong there. I asked for your coffee because you make _great_ coffee. Superb, even. That may be one of _your_ superpowers."

Her eyes opened wide. "A superpower? Well," she raised a fist, "to fairness and justice for all! I'll be back shortly!"

* * *

Naoki concluded his presentation to the board; as he had guessed, all were men around his father's age or older. "Japan's centuries-old habit of insularity must be reconsidered. Whatever one's personal and private beliefs are in reference to the place of women, if Pandai wants to succeed on the worldwide market, we must produce items that will appeal universally. Maintaining our outdated 'status quo' in today's climate is a recipe for failure."

"Excellent, son!" Mr. Irie was ecstatic at the compliments that had been bestowed upon his progeny for his insightful description of the state of affairs. "Just like a future leader!"

"I don't know about that, Dad," he reminded him.

"But Pandai needs you in this time of crisis!" he implored.

"'Time of crisis'? It's interesting, don't you think," he glanced at Kotoko in the background, gathering coffee cups, "that no one else in the firm is aware of Yasuda's perfidy."

A few drops of sweat could be seen on Mr. Irie's forehead. "Well, we've been trying to keep it quiet."

"In that case, you should have told HR your plan. They were happy to let me know that Yasuda is on a tropical holiday. And a thorough check of our finances doesn't show any missing funds."

His father bowed his head in defeat. "I just thought that if you got a taste of the business, you would be convinced. I suppose not?"

"Correct. _Not_ convinced," he added, in case he was not sufficiently clear. "Come on, Kotoko," he held out a hand, "let's leave those for the cougars eagerly waiting outside the door and take the back way out."

She looked from the soiled dishes to the clock. "But it's not the end of day yet," she said.

"It is for us. Damn!" he said once they were in the elevator and he was able to loosen his tie. "I'm glad that's over."

She shot him a hesitant look. "I'm sorry this didn't settle your mind about your future. I know that Obasama and Ojisama will be disappointed."

"Well, it's not _their_ life."

"That's right," she agreed. "So, what would you like to do? You're smart enough that you could do anything. Engineer," he made a scoffing sound, "Lawyer," he waved a hand in dismissal, "Doctor." When he didn't immediately repudiate that suggestion, she peered at him closely. "Really?"

"Maybe," he allowed.

"How? When?" she asked.

"I enjoyed the time I spent with Yuuki's doctor—oh, not that he had to have surgery—but it seemed like an interesting and challenging career."

"Doctor Irie." Kotoko tried it out then grinned up at him. "It has a ring, doesn't it? Well, if anyone could do it, you can!"

 _With support like that,_ he thought, _I certainly could._


	18. Chapter 18

Once Kotoko's unofficial internship at Pandai was finished, she and Watanabe resumed their usual schedule of meetings. He jokingly called her the business's "savior" and asked, "Are you and Irie planning to team up and run the place in a few years?"

She blinked at him, startled. "Not a bit. I was just there because Obasama insisted, and Irie-kun is, well…"

His interest piqued, he asked, "What?"

"Well," she leaned across the table confidentially, "he really doesn't care that much for heading up Pandai. Though he hasn't told his parents yet, he has pretty much decided what he wants to do in the future."

"But _you_ know?" he inquired, disquieted.

Kotoko sat back in the chair. "We were discussing his options and I sort of guessed."

"Well, I'm sure they'll support him, whatever he has chosen."

"I hope so," Kotoko said uncertainly, biting her bottom lip.

* * *

The days continued on until the temperatures dropped with the wintry chill of December. Frustrated by what she considered a lack of progress in her pet relationship, Mrs. Irie decided to investigate the activities of his competition one morning at breakfast.

"So," she sniffed, "I suppose you and _that young man_ have plans for Christmas Eve?"

Kotoko rolled her eyes but answered pleasantly, "No, Obasama."

Suddenly her mood changed. "Really, Kotoko-chan?" When the girl nodded, her mouth full of toast, she began gesticulating wildly. "That's absolutely marvelous!"

Kotoko and Yuuki exchanged puzzled looks then turned to Mrs. Irie.

"That evening is when Pandai is having their annual Christmas party for the investors and employees. It would be a great opportunity for you to spend some time—and even _dance!_ —with Onii-chan! Papa has insisted that he show up this year, due to the stupendous job he did last month."

After swallowing, Kotoko took a sip of water. "But Obasama, I'm already busy that night."

Mrs. Irie halted mid-twirl. "What? But you just said—"

"Jun-kun and I will not be together, but I am spending the evening with Satomi and Jinko."

"With... _girls?_ Not handsome young men? Not that any could compare to my son!"

"Neither of their boyfriends will be able to be with them this holiday, and they were a bit down about it. I suggested that we have a girls' night, and Jun-kun said that he was okay with it. He's just going to hang out with his parents that evening."

"Really, Kotoko-chan! That's the way the cookie crumbles at times. Let them spend time together with each other, and you come with us!" she coaxed. Unfortunately, Kotoko was firm and Mrs. Irie retired to the kitchen, disappointed.

"I don't know why she thinks I'd break a promise," Kotoko muttered toward the table surface.

"Yeah, you're doing the right thing," Yuuki whispered over, "but don't tell her I said that!"

* * *

"Brr! The temp's dropped quite a bit!" Naoki commented as they left the café after their latest English session.

"Right!" Kotoko tucked her chin into the familiar scarf.

He glanced down at her. "Did you bring mittens?"

"I forgot." She glanced up with regret as she tried to juggle books while keeping her hands in her coat pocket.

He laughed at her efforts. "We're near my place. I have a spare pair you can borrow." He overrode her objections and led the way.

"It'll only take a minute," he called as he headed to the set of drawers. "Make yourself comfortable."

It wasn't much warmer indoors and Kotoko blew on her fingers as she looked around. She walked to the table and opened a large book left there. "Irie-kun," she began.

"Yes?"

She jumped when he appeared right behind her. "This is a medical book, isn't it?"

"Um, yes. I've been researching."

"So you were really serious about becoming a doctor."

"I'm getting there," he admitted. "I've actually inquired about a transfer test so I can begin next school year."

She rose up and down on her tiptoes. "That's great! But," she sobered, "I wish I could find what I want to do."

"I'm sure you will, in time," he assured her. "You may take a roundabout way for things, but you usually reach the finish line."

Kotoko felt a blush rising. "Are you talking about that embarrassing sports day in high school?"

He looked startled for a moment, then laughed. "Actually, I wasn't, but it does prove apt, doesn't it? Here," he added, seeing her shiver, "put these one."

She quickly donned the mittens, slightly large for her hands. "Thank you, Irie-kun!"

"And this." He encircled her neck with a matching scarf, covering the one that she had never returned to Watanabe. His hands remained on her shoulders, and he did not move away from her. After several seconds of stillness and silence, she looked up at him questioningly. "About the Christmas party…" he began.

Kotoko made a face as she clumsily rearranged the scarf in a more fashionable style. "Don't tell me that Obasama has enlisted _you_ to try and make me break my word to my friends. I think she only agreed to let us have it at the house to try and snatch me away at the last minute."

"That sounds like her." He added humorlessly, "Rest assured, I want to be at that blasted event even less than you. However," he put a finger on her nose, "if your plans change, you'll be welcome there. I'll even dance with you."

"Ha!" she barked, moving his hand aside and pointing a finger at him in return (not that he could see it through the mitten), "that's just because _you_ want to stay away from all those office women."

"Got me there," he replied lightly. The mood was broken and now Watanabe's scarf could be seen intertwined with his. _Had he really been thinking about kissing his best friend's girl? And not just a forehead kiss, like the ones that had seemed to come so naturally._ "Let's go, I'll walk you to the station." He ignored her protests, declaring, "Knowing you, you'd get lost, and then think of the lecture I'd have to endure from Mom!"

* * *

Naoki emerged from his former bedroom, adjusting the tie on his dress suit. "Are you sure you're not joining us, Kotoko?" he asked when he met her in the hallway.

The full skirted dress that had been an early Christmas gift from Mrs. Irie made "ssh-ing" noises when she pressed it with her hands. "Obasama never lost hope. I'm going to wear it for our party tonight. It will lend it a festive atmosphere."

"Yeah. Yours sounds much more fun than the one I'll be attending," he complained as they descended the stairs side by side.

"Look at you two!" Mrs. Irie almost blinded them with the flash as they turned the corner on the landing. "Such a beautiful couple! Don't you think so, Papa?"

Mr. Irie made rumbling noises in his throat as a non-answer, and Kotoko left Naoki's side and rushed past Mrs. Irie to greet Yuuki. "Yuuki-kun!" she exclaimed, straightening his bow tie. "You look all grown-up in that suit! And such a gentleman!" She leaned down and whispered, "Try to keep them fooled as long as you can, Squirt."

"Baka!" he shot back, blushing a bit.

"Are you sure you won't change your mind, Kotoko-chan?" Mrs. Irie made one last attempt to persuade her.

"Positive." Kotoko was firm. "Satomi and Jinko should be here any time. Plus," she waved at the tray of hors d'oeuvres, "I don't want these to spoil, especially since you were kind enough to make them."

"As if that mattered! Why, I'd cook three straight days and throw out all the food if I could get you and Onii-chan together!" she insisted with hyperbole.

Naoki rolled his eyes. "Come on, Mom, the limo is here." As the last one out, he turned when he heard the house phone ring. Kotoko answered it, then smiled and waved him on. He lingered a bit before he closed the door behind himself, so he was able to hear most of the conversation.

"What? Jinko? Oh! I left my phone upstairs. Are you running late? Huh? Junpei's concert got cancelled and you're going to hang out together? No, no, I understand. It just means more food for Satomi and me. Stop apologizing and have fun! Well," she said to herself after hanging up the phone, "so much for sisterly solidarity."

Deciding that it would be wise to keep her cell next to her she ran up to her room and was startled when the instrument beeped as she picked it up. "What?!" she screeched. "Satomi, you traitor!" A text message had been sent several minutes before, explaining that Ryo, instead of being unavailable, had instead wanted to surprise her on Christmas Eve, and they were headed out for a romantic dinner in the center of town. "That bites."

She slumped downstairs. "Why couldn't they have called me five minutes earlier?" she groused. In an attempt to raise her spirits, she loaded the CD changer with Christmas albums and began snacking disconsolately. She had almost worked herself into a depression when the phone rang.

"Jun-kun!" she cried.

"Hey, there," he greeted her. "How's the girl gathering?" Over the next few minutes he listened to Kotoko ramble and rage about her friends and ruined plans. When he could finally get a word in edgewise, he asked, "Well, why don't _we_ do something together?"

"Of course!" she agreed happily. "We have lots of food here so you can come over."

"Ah, Kotoko, you're home alone, aren't you?" He continued after her assent, "That wouldn't be proper, you know."

"It's not as if we'd _do_ anything," she argued.

 _How quickly she made that assertion,_ he sighed. "No," he said aloud, "but it would give the impression that we did. We really need to be out in public, but all the best places were reserved weeks ago."

"I know!" Kotoko jumped off the couch. "Wait a minute!" She ran into the kitchen and plucked the stiff cardboard invitation off the front of the refrigerator. "We can go to Pandai's party!"

* * *

As the Irie group headed toward the hotel ballroom, Naoki did a double take at a couple checking in with the maître d' of the restaurant in the lobby. Wasn't that Kotoko's tall friend and her boyfriend? What had happened to the party at the house? He suddenly recollected that the call as the family had departed the house was from the other friend. Had those two left Kotoko in the lurch?


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Readers, this chapter may generate strong emotions. (Just a friendly warning.)

* * *

The holiday gathering was proving to be as dry as Naoki had predicted. All of his dad's cronies wanted to talk business and seemed to believe that it was a sure thing for him to take over Pandai. He was unable to escape from all of the duty dances but made sure that they were with the older ladies in the assembly. The "office cougars" made him a little nervous, eyeing him with come-hither glances fueled by the open bar. He wondered what their reaction would be when he disappeared to find more congenial company.

He kept a close eye on the location of his parents, an unfamiliar bubble of anticipation in his chest as he thought of his plan to break free a little later. He checked his watch impatiently, having set a firm deadline on how much of the nonsense he would stay for. A quiet evening with the abandoned Kotoko would feel like heaven after dealing with the old farts and dodging the man-eaters. Just as he was about to make his escape, as if his imagination had magically summoned her, Kotoko appeared in the main doorway. As she stood there alone, for Watanabe was checking their coats in the foyer, he made his way to her side.

"Just in time!" he whispered. "Dance with me."

"Huh?" She showed a startled face but followed willingly.

He held her close as they moved together in silence for several minutes. Finding the activity way too enjoyable, he decided that conversation might get his mind off the feel of her body next to his. "I saw your friend and her boyfriend over an hour ago."

"That Satomi!" Kotoko was still a little grumpy. "And Jinko also."

"It's all right." His lips brushed her temple as he spun her around. "You're with friends now."

"That's right." She beamed up at him.

A spurt of happiness made him laugh at the sight. "I don't know how you made your way down here, but I'm glad you did." He gestured with his head toward the group of women watching their movements with interest. "I think they were about to form a pack and chase me down."

Kotoko gurgled with amusement. "Then I'm happy to come to your aid! But, actually I came—"

At that moment, Naoki glanced across the room and saw his friend enter and look around in search of someone. And if he was a betting man, that person was the one currently in his arms. Quickly he made a reverse turn and danced them out a side door into the hall.

"Irie-kun, what—?" Kotoko struggled to maintain her balance with the tricky footwork.

"Were you playing my family for fools?" he asked fiercely, speaking through a sudden heaviness in his chest. "Your so-called 'girls' night', I mean."

"I don't kn—"

He recalled her cheerful goodbye wave and imagined an affectionate greeting for his friend once the family had left for the party. "Was it just a smokescreen so you two could use the house as a rendezvous place? Turning my home into a love hotel?"

"What are you talking about?" Kotoko's temper was on the rise. "Jun-kun called after…"

Hearing his friend called in such a familiar manner brought a red haze to his eyes. "How many times have you done this?" he snapped, his presumption of what had happened making him deaf to her denials. "And to think that I was beginning to—"

Naoki stopped speaking and pulled her face to his. The first touch of his lips was sweet, but they soon became demanding, almost bruising. The shock of initial pleasure immobilized her but wore off quickly. Kotoko found her strength and shoved him away, pressing her back against the wall. "What. The. Hell. Are. You. Doing?"

Panting and a little shamefaced, he rubbed the back of his hand against his mouth, her rejection after his earlier excited anticipation having crashed him back suddenly to rationality. Agitated by his own behavior—and by the feelings that had caused it—he found his explanation a confused jumble. "Kotoko, I'm sorry. I didn't intend—! It's just—" He reached out for her again.

"Forget it!" She pushed past him and quickly found Watanabe in the ballroom, filling a plate from the buffet table. "Let's go!"

"What?" He set the plate down. "I thought we came here to eat."

"I think if I ate any of this food that I would throw it right back up," she answered, eyes wide and chest heaving, on the verge of hysteria.

Watanabe looked over her slightly mussed head and saw Naoki coming from the same direction, his eyes searching the crowd. "Okay," he said softly, "we'll leave."

The taxi ride back to the Irie house was silent except for a few hiccuping sobs. Kotoko was proud of herself for holding it all in so that a stranger's ears would not hear of the sordid business. However, it all burst forth when they reached the living room.

"The absolute nerve of him! Accusing me—you—us! And then he—he—he kissed me!" she wailed.

With the patience of a future lawyer cross-examining a witness, Watanabe finally pulled the entire story from her. "That doesn't sound typical of Irie. Maybe something happened earlier in the evening that made him—"

"Nothing can excuse his behavior! After all this time—" Kotoko averred, tears still falling from her eyes. She grasped Watanabe's shirt front. "Kiss me!"

"W-what?"

"Kiss me!" she repeated. "Wipe out the memory!" She pulled him down and pressed her lips to his in almost the same way Naoki had with her a few minutes before.

Although Kotoko began almost violently, Watanabe was able to slow down the pace until the kisses were gentle and soothing. "Better?" he asked softly.

Eyelashes clotted with moisture, she slowly nodded. She placed a hand to his cheek. "Why don't we make it true?" she asked. "What he accused us of doing?" Her breath began to hitch again.

"Kotoko," he sighed, "you're extremely upset at the moment. Plus, anger, revenge, whatever you're feeling right now—that's not the right reason. This is something you should do with someone you love deeply, and you don't feel that for me yet."

"Why? Why? Why?" She pounded his chest with each repetition. "Why _don't_ I feel that way with you?" She looked up at him again. "You feel that way for me, don't you? Maybe if we do it, I will."

"No," he refused although his heart ached. He could only hold her as she collapsed in sobs again.

An hour later, his shirt thoroughly soaked, he looked at the sleeping girl on the couch. Shedding his coat, he said aloud, "Well, I guess I'm going to be carrying you to bed after all."

He bathed her face with cool water and removed her stockings and dress, deciding that Kotoko was going to be embarrassed enough when morning came to take off much else. He smoothed her hair one last time before he turned the light out as he went into the hall.

* * *

The first thing Naoki noticed upon entering the house was the overcoat on the rail, with the dress jacket and tie laid over it. The shame of his behavior had burned away his temper over the past couple hours, but it flared white hot once more. His usual mask-like expression marred by a twitching muscle in his jaw, he charged up the stairs and met Watanabe at the top of them. His eyes ran over Watanabe's dishabille. "I was right, after all," he managed to say in an even tone. "You two _were_ taking advantage of my family's absence."

He shook his head slowly then spoke clearly, "I have never dishonored your house, our friendship, or Kotoko. But your spiteful jealousy may have destroyed _your_ relationship with her."

"Jealousy? Don't make me laugh."

"That's what I see." His friend stared him down. "You didn't appreciate her when she was following after you, heart in her eyes. I didn't steal her from you; as I recall, you pushed her away quite firmly. So why are you so concerned now that she is no longer on your heels? Let her go."

He sagged against the wall, arms crossed over his midsection. "I never thought to say this, but I'm not sure that's possible. I know what I did tonight wasn't…" His voice trailed off, for once in his life being at a loss for words. He looked directly at Watanabe. "What can I do?"

He shook his head. "I have no answer for that."

"My actions earlier," Naoki closed his eyes, "were motivated by something much deeper than momentary anger and spite. Even though this feeling is unfamiliar, I'm pretty sure I know what it is." He caught the other's gaze once more. "If I can fix this...misunderstanding, and Kotoko chooses me again, what about you?"

"It has always been her choice, Irie. But tonight you may have set yourself a hurdle impossible to clear." He appeared to be on the verge of leaving then paused to turn back and casually grip Naoki's tie. "But one thing. Hands off unless she's willing." One side of his mouth quirked up, provoking the dimple. "Based on what I see, your guilt is going to hurt you even more than my fist, so I'll save myself the effort and pain." He nodded farewell and continued down the stairs, bidding the rest of the surprised family a good evening before making his departure.

* * *

A/N: Khairunnisa, do you recognize your contribution?


	20. Chapter 20

Total embarrassment was an understatement. Kotoko's feelings of mortification when she awoke the next morning almost overset her. Once her memory kicked in she pulled the covers back over her head and wished to be teleported a few planets away. Eventually she dragged herself out of bed and downstairs for a late breakfast.

She had reason to be glad that those torments she suffered had delayed her for a quarter of an hour, because Mrs. Irie informed her that her elder son had slept over and that Kotoko had missed him by just that much time. She handed her a sealed envelope with a sly grin, informing the girl that Naoki had requested she give it to her. "And it didn't look like he slept a wink!"

Despite Mrs. Irie's avid curiosity and Yuuki's mild interest, Kotoko left the note unopened by her plate. The older woman threw down a dish towel and hissed in disappointment when she carried it upstairs without reading it. "That girl!"

Kotoko tucked it into the top drawer of her desk. She was not in the mood to deal with him now! At the moment, another person was more important. She took a deep breath and sent a text of apology to Watanabe. The response was quick and brief: "None needed." Almost immediately after that, the phone rang, startling her. "Hello?"

"Are you feeling better today?" he asked in a moderately cheerful tone.

"Yes, thank you," she said. "I'm really, really—"

"Kotoko, you're not going to apologize again, are you?"

"I—I attacked you!" she cried.

He laughed. "Do you expect me to complain because you fulfilled a common male fantasy? Relax. I know that you weren't yourself last night."

"I also pulled you all the way across town for food and dancing but dragged you away before we had either."

"That's the least of my worries. We can make it up another time."

Kotoko closed her eyes and swallowed hard. "You mean, you still want to see me?"

There was a pause. "Why wouldn't I?"

Her tongue stumbled through an explanation. "Last night...what I said about, you know, my feelings…"

"Kotoko," he sighed, "I consider our relationship a work in progress. So, yes, I still want to see you."

She breathed more easily. "I'm glad."

"As for your feelings for Irie, they will be resolved one way or another as time passes." Hesitantly, he asked, "Have you spoken to him this morning?"

"No," she said, eyes on the drawer pull, "although he left me a note. I haven't read it yet."

"You probably should," he advised, adding after her immediate protestations, "but maybe not right now." He drummed fingers on his own desk before saying, "Would you like to spend New Year's with me? If your father doesn't mind? We're planning to go to the Ioji temple."

Kotoko sat up straight. "I'd love to!" This would certainly delay having to face Naoki for a little while, since his mother had reminded him several times to show up for the traditional family visit to the Ensenji temple.

* * *

Again, Watanabe's mother was helpful in fine-tuning Kotoko's outfit at their arrival to the temple. "My!" she said, "it's nice helping a girl dress for a change."

"That's what Obasama says," Kotoko told her.

"Would that be Mrs. Irie?" she inquired. "You must be very close to her."

"Well," Kotoko looked at the ground and shifted her feet, "I've been living with her for a couple of years, and she wanted a pet name instead of 'Mrs. Irie' all the time."

"Understandable." Mrs. Watanabe patted her arm. "Goodness knows my name would be a mouthful!"

Kotoko thought a minute then laughed. "That's right!"

"Well," her gaze moved to the men waiting resignedly, "let's join the others and make our prayers."

* * *

"I suspect that woman is plotting to steal my Kotoko-chan away!" Mrs. Irie complained loudly to her family in the car.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that, Missus." Mr. Aihara was quick to assure her. "My daughter loves you a lot."

She sniffed. "I should have known something was up that very first evening. She wouldn't let me fetch my girl home! That viper probably had this idea even then."

"Ma, give it a rest," Naoki said. "Watanabe's mom is very nice. Not crazy, like some people's."

"I'll have you know that I blame _you_ for all this. Letting her slip out of your fingers. And to be caught by such an inferior person. It's a shame and embarrassment to have a son so blind!"

As she continued on in this vein, Yuuki leaned over to his brother and whispered, "Are you going to do something about stopping Mom?"

"I tuned her out several minutes ago. You need to work harder on that skill," he replied shortly. It certainly didn't help his mood to realize that his mother had been right about his feelings for Kotoko all along. He wondered if the guilt he still felt from the Christmas party would affect the outcome of his temple prayer for guidance in his reconciliation attempt.

* * *

Knowing that there was no way to avoid Naoki on Coming of Age Day, Kotoko finally pulled the ignored envelope from her desk drawer. Based on how insistent Watanabe was that she read it, she wondered if he had some sort of male intuition about its contents. She shook it and held it to the light before finally deciding that she had dilly-dallied long enough. She wondered at the situation's familiarity until she realized that this was the reverse of the presentation of her confession letter to him long ago. "At least I didn't refuse you to your face," she muttered as she slit it open.

 _Kotoko:  
_ _It has been almost three years since you first tried to tell me your feelings. I deeply apologize for the pain I must have put you through during that time. Your rejection last night was truly justified after my reprehensible words and actions. I should have remembered that you are too honest a person to lie.  
_ _I have no excuse except that I wanted to be the one who had the right to stand by your side. I know this is sudden and probably a surprise to you. These feelings are new to me, and uncomfortable as well, and I am clumsy with them. I allowed my abominable temper to take control of me; believe me, I never meant to insult you. Actually, I had planned to leave the party early to keep you company since your friends let you down. Because of that, I was jealous that you arrived with Watanabe. I should not have been so presumptuous, especially considering that you are dating him. I have only myself to blame, for I was too slow to appreciate your good points and return your affection.  
_ _I have mentioned more than once that your energy and optimistic outlook on life are amazing. I wish so much that I shared them. I humbly beg you to forgive my behavior, and if possible, give me another chance. At least allow me to be your friend again; I dare not hope for more. Whatever your decision, know that I will always remain yours,  
_ _Irie Naoki_

After reading through it three times, she slowly folded it and replaced it in the envelope. She found it hard to wrap her head around the "return your affection" phrase. That sounded suspiciously like Naoki was claiming that his feelings for her exceeded friendship. While the spiteful part of her wanted to taunt him with "too little, too late!", a slowly returning, long-familiar ache in her chest was bringing her to the unwelcome awareness that her own hurt feelings were lingering because she still cared about him. Although the Christmas Eve debacle had shocked her eyes open, she did not particularly welcome the return of those emotions. _Why have they reappeared?_ she wondered. _I have Jun-kun now, and he is so much nicer and more considerate of me. I like him a lot, even if it's not like—_ She shook her head in frustration. _At any rate,_ she thought, _I can at least be civil. After all, I'm living with his family._

* * *

After declaring that Kotoko looked like a little doll in her Seijin Shiki kimono, Mrs. Irie spent at least fifteen minutes arranging her and her firstborn for various photographs. During this time Mr. Aihara wiped tears from his eyes, Mr. Irie patting his shoulder sympathetically. After the first few poses, Kotoko spoke out of the corner of her mouth, "I read your note."

Naoki turned his head. "You did?"

"Onii-chan! Front and center!" the commanding general barked.

While she reviewed shots, he inquired quietly, "So, are we...good?" He felt the question was overly vague, but he feared asking anything more specific.

 _What could she say? He_ had _apologized, and she_ had _decided..._ Kotoko hesitated then nodded.

Unfortunately, Mrs. Irie had switched back to photographer mode in the interim. "Kotoko-chan! Why did you move? These are still shots right now! I haven't yet got the videocamera going. Don't make it blurry!"

"She never changes," Kotoko sighed.

Naoki let out a relieved breath of his own at her naturally spoken complaint. "Right. And it's not as if it's actual film. She can just erase the image off the card later."

Beside him, she dropped her eyes to his flexing fingers, a sign that he, like her, was not entirely at ease. "Yeah."

"Kotoko-chan! Your eyes were closed!"

When Kotoko laughed at his mother's expression of frustration, he was glad that her obsession was able to bring a touch of normalcy to their tense and uncomfortable conversation. It was not entirely what he wanted, but he admitted that it was more than he deserved. He could be satisfied with that, for now.


	21. Chapter 21

Even dressed in the faux fur stole, Kotoko still shivered when they exited the town hall after the Coming of Age ceremony. "You'd think they could spring for more heat inside," she grumbled.

"Would you like my overcoat?" Naoki offered.

"No, then you'd be the one freezing. I'm just a little chilly. Where are we going?" she asked as he guided her through the crowd. The place had been a madhouse when they had arrived earlier, and, despite still being ill-at-ease, they saw the wisdom of Mrs. Irie's suggestion to stay together.

"I see some friends from my old schools," he said. "You didn't grow up in Setagaya, did you?"

"No. I always thought I'd share this day with Satomi and Jinko, but we grew up in another district."

"Would you rather be with them?" he asked.

"Not really," she answered shortly. When he turned to her, she added, "I'm still making them grovel for deserting me at Christmas."

"Oh, the party." His face flushed as he recalled his catastrophic contribution. He pointed towards the clump of people they were nearing. "You might as well tag along with me," he said with no inflection. "Watanabe is headed towards them as well."

"Oh?" she squinted in that direction. "You've known him that long?"

"Yes, we went to grade school and middle school together."

One of the group members spied them. "Hey, look, it's Irie! "

Naoki and Kotoko were quickly surrounded by his old friends. "How's it going?"

"You still doing the whole genius thing?"

A girl approached and batted her eyes. "You've become so handsome, Irie-kun!" Without realizing it, Kotoko stiffened slightly at the blatant flirtation.

"What? You're not at Todai?"

"But it's like that place was meant for you, dude!"

"Hey, wait a minute. Is this your girlfriend, Irie?" Someone placed a hand on her left shoulder.

Kotoko spun around. "Oh, uh—"

"Kotoko-chan's been living with Irie since high school—"

"What? With that nerd Irie?"

"So he's normal after all!"

"—but she's dating me," Watanabe concluded, smiling as he took her hand. She squeezed his in relief at his appearance.

"Aw, you must've moved too slow there, Irie, letting a cutie like this one get away." One laughed and poked Naoki in the side with an elbow.

He returned a strained smile. "I suppose so. How about you, Hashimoto, are you still planning to be a carpenter?"

"Now, how did you remember that from all those years ago?"

The conversations faded away as Watanabe drew her a little aside. "I know that the Iries have a big celebration planned—"

"You mean _Mrs._ Irie," Kotoko laughed.

"—but my mother was hoping that we could drop by after the ceremony, even if just for a few minutes."

"Well…"

"They even loaned me the car to get you back safely. She wants to see you all dressed up."

Kotoko smiled at him. "Then I don't see why not. I'll just," she took a deep breath, "tell Irie-kun to go home ahead of me."

Watanabe gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll do it for you."

"Thanks," she said with a wan smile, "I've forgiven him, but it's still a little awkward."

* * *

"You do look lovely today, Kotoko-chan," Mrs. Watanabe complimented her gently. "Doesn't she, dear?" She turned to her husband.

"That she does," he agreed. "It's too bad I didn't know you when you were twenty. All dressed up like this, I would have fallen for you that much sooner."

"You flatterer!" She laughed, and he pressed a finger to her dimple.

"Caught one!" he teased.

Watanabe rolled his eyes. "They're at it again."

"But they're so sweet!" Kotoko stared longingly at the obviously well-suited couple. She wondered if someday…

"I know that your father will want to pour your official 'first drink' himself," Mrs. Watanabe turned back to them, "but I have arranged for tea and a few snacks. I hope that you will visit with us for a short while."

Kotoko bowed. "Thank you. I would be honored."

"But first," her husband interjected, "we need a picture of you two!"

As they arranged themselves according to his and his wife's direction, Kotoko thought wryly that two different households would have a coming of age picture with her in it—with two separate men. Something she never would have dreamed of back in high school…

* * *

"I was beginning to worry that that boy was never going to bring you back! I was half-inclined to call the police, but Papa dissuaded me."

"Obasama," Kotoko reminded her patiently, "you told me when the family party would start, and I am half an hour early."

Mrs. Irie patted her cheeks. "It's just that I worry so much when you're out of my sight. You are so precious to me, Kotoko-chan, and I don't want my future daughter-in-law to be stolen away."

"Obasama—"

"Now I know that you and Onii-chan had that spat or whatever it was at Christmas, but I thought things had been getting better before then."

Kotoko took her hands. "They were, Obasama, and they might get better again. But right now I am dating someone else. Why can't you accept that?"

"Maybe because he's the wrong one!" Her eyes moistened. "Why won't you two understand how right you are for each other?!"

Mr. Irie and Mr. Aihara emerged from the back at an auspicious time and rescued Kotoko from another tear-filled tirade. "Missus! Why didn't you tell us that my daughter had arrived? Now we can get the party started!"

Mrs. Irie quickly wiped her eyes. "Yes, yes, of course. We have a great deal to celebrate. Yuuki-kun," she spied her younger son peeking around the corner, "go tell your brother that the party will start once Kotoko-chan changes into more comfortable clothes! Although you do look so darling in that kimono…" she sighed as she retreated to the kitchen.

* * *

After the meal, Naoki stood and tried to excuse himself.

"Onii-chan! Why can't you stay over again?" his mother protested.

"No, really—" he began.

"Naoki-kun," his father said, "could you spare me a few minutes in the study? I have something I'd like to discuss with you."

With a feeling of dread, he responded, "Sure, Dad."

After they closed the door behind them, Mrs. Irie smiled at Kotoko. "I'm certain they are going to set up the schedule for Onii-chan to begin work at Pandai. He made such a good impression on all the people he came in contact with!"

"Obasama," Kotoko said, "is it possible that Irie-kun hasn't told you—" _Oops, that isn't my secret to tell, especially with the way things are between us._

"I know just the thing! We'll prepare them some tea. Talking will dry out your throat so!"

Silently Kotoko assisted her in arranging the tray. She wondered if Naoki would take this opportunity to tell Mr. Irie of his interest in medicine. She further pondered if his father would take well the news that he wasn't that interested in Pandai.

Since she and Mrs. Irie arrived outside the door at the critical time, she received her answer.

"What does it matter what I think?" Naoki asked, his voice barely showing irritation. "You've been pushing me to join the company since I was in middle school. I don't know why you're asking for my opinion on the matter, since you've never considered my wishes before."

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"That instance where you manipulated me to work at Pandai two months ago. You pretend to let me make my own decisions, but in reality you're just laying out how it's going to be. That's pretty low."

"Wh-why—" Mr. Irie was both flushed and flustered.

His wife shoved the French doors open and burst into the room. Kotoko, standing at the entrance, breathed a sigh of relief when she managed to steady the tray that had been jarred by the older woman's sudden action and gratefully set it on a nearby table. "How dare you speak to your father that way?!" she shouted. "He is only thinking of what's best for you!"

Naoki sat, unsurprised at her interruption, and continued to stare at his father. "It's not me he's thinking about; it's his own future."

"H-how dare you?!"

He turned to glare at her. "You're the same, Mother. Just because you're fond of Kotoko, you desperately try to get us together, to the point of ignoring our feelings."

"Wh-what? I-it's just that I happen to think that you and Kotoko-chan make a very good couple. That's why!"

"Back off and let us determine our own love lives. You continually pressure her and ignore that she is dating someone else. By badgering me to make overtures to her, you're encouraging me to do the same and," he closed his eyes a moment as if in pain, "betray a friendship of more than a decade." He stood, emotion evident on his usual stoic face. "I've had enough. This is why I never want to come home. This house shackles and restrains me—" His diatribe was cut short by the sharp sound of his mother's hand hitting his face.

Kotoko's hands flew to her own cheeks, and she stepped aside as Naoki stormed out of the room.

"N-Naoki!" his father called after him.

"Let him go!" his mother cried, face reddened in anger. "Wicked, hateful child! He can never come back, for all I care!"

"Calm down, dear," Mr. Irie crooned as he tried to soothe her.

"That heartless boy—" she croaked out, before bursting into loud sobs. Those even brought Yuuki into the room.

Kotoko turned and ran after Naoki, only to hear the slamming of the front door. _He forgot his coat,_ she thought, and without further ado, grabbed it and pursued him after donning hers.

With Naoki's advantage of a longer stride, she had to run several blocks before drawing near enough to call for him. She handed him his coat then walked beside him in silence for a few minutes, her rapid breaths creating little vapor clouds in front of her. Finally, setting aside her own discomfort with their newly repaired friendship, she ventured, "Your mother—she just got a little emotional. I'm sure she's sorry for striking you. But," she laughed uneasily, "you seldom blow up like that, so it probably took her by surprise." She stumbled on, "But I get where you're coming from. I mean, it's your future...and your love life. It's not right…" _Darn!_ she thought, _what else can I say? I mean, thanks to Obasama, I'm sort of involved in this mess._

Naoki stopped walking so suddenly that she ran into him. "Yes, it's not right." _And his mother had no idea how painful her hints_ — _or, rather, demands_ — _had become to him._

"Um, Irie-kun," she asked timidly, "why haven't you told your parents that you're interested in becoming a doctor?"

He turned and gave her one of his patented sardonic looks. "And what do you think would be their response to _that_ news?"

"Yeah, but they've got to know sometime," she argued. "It can't be a secret forever."

He closed his eyes. "I know, Kotoko." He patted her on the shoulder. "Go back home. I'm sure they're worrying more about you now than me."

"No, you're wro—"

He put his hand over her mouth and ducked his head so their foreheads met briefly. "I'll be all right, Kotoko. Don't worry about me."

"And how am I supposed to do that?" she muttered at his back as he mingled with the evening crowd and disappeared. "I've spent almost five years now worrying about you. I'm not sure I'm able to quit now."


	22. Chapter 22

"Needle through the loop, catch the yarn, back through the loop—darn!" Kotoko wished she had three hands as she struggled to replace the dropped stitch on the knitting needle.

"Again, Kotoko-chan?" Mrs. Irie sighed and laid down her own work to help her.

"Thanks, Obasama!" Kotoko leaned back into the couch and tried again. This scarf was coming along so slowly that she feared it wouldn't even wrap around Watanabe's neck by Valentine's Day. She wanted to give him something special this year. Besides, he was so involved with school right now that she needed some way to fill the time. Then, to complicate matters, Mrs. Irie had caught her struggling with a "Knitting for Dummies" book and had immediately assumed that the project was for Naoki. "I suppose because I ran after him that night," she muttered to herself.

"Did you say something, dear?" Mrs. Irie inquired.

"No, just talking to myself," she replied.

"What happens when a baka talks to herself?" asked Yuuki from the easy chair. "Nothing, but the temperature of the room rises."

"Grrr!" Kotoko stuck her tongue out at him. "My hands are occupied now, so consider yourself whomped by a pillow."

"Yuuki!" his mother cried. "Apologize now!"

"Or better yet, I'll wait and get even when you least expect it!"

Mrs. Irie turned to the other person in the room. "Kotoko-chan, don't drop down to a child's level. Remember, you are now an adult and getting ready to take on adult duties. Such as marriage!" she added in a whisper, winking. Yuuki, overhearing, groaned loudly. After she glared at him for that, she sat up straight and asked Kotoko in an overly casual tone, "Speaking of which, how is Onii-chan doing?"

Naoki had not returned to the house since the night of the blow-up. Somehow (in other words, through Satomi and Jinko) Mrs. Irie had heard about his meetings with Kotoko for verbal English prep and had, with great forbearance, refrained from stalking them with her camera.

"He is well." She had hesitated to renew the lessons but decided to do so after determining to be consistent in her forgiveness; she could always change her mind if he stepped out of line. Indeed, the first few sessions had been somewhat stiff, with the memory of his apology and the cause of it a little too near in the past. Nevertheless, they were slowly returning to the easier relationship they had forged after Kotoko began dating Watanabe. Well, perhaps _similar_ to that relationship; Kotoko was not completely comfortable with the renewed awareness she felt while in his presence.

"He's not going hungry, is he?"

Kotoko stared at Mrs. Irie over her yarn work. "You didn't worry about this last year when he left the first time," she said.

The older woman made a face. "I was trying to work my way up to the real question," she temporized.

"Go ahead and ask," Kotoko said.

"Yeah, Mom," Yuuki piped up, "when have you ever beaten around the bush?"

"Does he speak of...me?"

"I'm afraid not, Obasama," Kotoko smiled sadly at her. "We just talk about class; that's all."

* * *

Mrs. Irie wiped away a tear that evening as she and her husband prepared for bed. "I haven't heard a word from our wayward son, and even Kotoko-chan says there's no message from him!"

"Well, you did hit him pretty hard." Mr. Irie chuckled in remembrance of the startled look on Naoki's face that night.

"That was the first time we ever had such a serious fight." She blew her nose. "He must hate me now."

"Nonsense." He poured them both a cup of water then patted her back. "Boys are all like that."

Her head popped up suddenly. "My hopes are pinned on Kotoko-chan, then!"

"Wh-what?" He almost spewed liquid onto the bed.

"She and Onii-chan must have come to some sort of agreement when she chased after him, since she sees him several times a week." She smiled widely in satisfaction as she seated herself on the bed, feet under the covers, and pulled her knitting bag near her. "Plus, she's knitting him a scarf for Valentine's. Not that it's going much better than the chocolate in previous years," she added. "I may help her along a little—secretly!—so she can finish on time."

"Mama...Dear," Mr. Irie hesitated to bring up the idea, "don't you think that gift is for her young man?"

"Nonsense!" She fished out an unfinished project. "It is a color that is most flattering on Onii-chan—this one!—" she held up her needles, "and she even asked if she could look at one of his that he left behind to calculate the length that she would need."

"I see." Indeed, he saw well that his wife's logic was flawed but chose not to end the day on an argument that would not be settled without time and difficulty. He shook his head as he settled himself under the covers next to her.

She happily continued, "I am making mittens for him since that is well out of Kotoko's skill range, and also a matching scarf and mittens set for her. Won't they look sweet together?"

Mr. Irie removed his glasses and gave her a goodnight kiss. "Of course, dear."

* * *

"No, Kotoko, use the flat A pronunciation there. You know, the sound we practiced a few minutes ago?"

"Aargh!" she groaned. "Why is English so ornery?"

"Just because it is." He reached across the table and pulled away her knitting. "Don't distract yourself with this. Your oral presentation is a large part of your final grade."

"Boy, the biggest mistake I ever made was following you into Advanced English," she complained.

"You'll get no argument from me," Naoki agreed as he tried to untangle the loose yarn from the knitting needles. "Start over from the top."

Waving a French fry to keep herself to a rhythm, Kotoko once more recited the monologue, eyes raised to the ceiling, while Naoki began working on the scarf, a gift for Watanabe, he assumed. _I guess that means they're still doing well._ He had determined to play fair and not interfere unless any cracks began to show in their relationship. He shoved away thoughts of romance and sighed at Kotoko's knitting skill (or lack thereof) before he set about restoring the narrowing piece to the proper number of stitches per row. He even completed a few extra rows before tucking it away as she concluded her recitation.

"Better. Again," he instructed her.

After two more repetitions, she finally bit down on her fry and asked him, "Are you going to speak to your parents any time soon? Your dad isn't saying much, but your mom really misses you. Plus, at some point you've got to tell them about your transfer."

"All in good time," he stated then chuckled as he handed her knitting bag back over. "You Aiharas!"

"What?"

"It's just that I had a call to visit your father a few days ago, and he talked to me about the same thing."

"Oh." Kotoko ducked her head. "It's not that we're naturally nosey, it's just that we care for your family so much. Plus," she admitted, "having me pushed on you all the time caused some of the problem."

He hesitated then reached across and covered her hand with his. "Don't make yourself the responsible party. This Pandai thing would have come to a head, with or without you."

"Maybe not," she said, staring at the warm hand on hers. "Didn't you say that you never had any desire to do anything special in life until I came along? You said I shook up your world."

"That you did," he smiled, "Earthquake Kotoko." How appropriate it was that the earth itself had trembled in harmony with the change in his life.

She pouted. "They name typhoons, not earthquakes."

* * *

"Thank you for your hard work in creating this scarf for me," Watanabe smiled as he looked at its length of uneven stitches and varying widths. Every so often there would be a small section of evenly knitted yarn, and he highly suspected that this had been a group effort. If so, it was unknown to Kotoko, for she beamed at the compliment.

"I was afraid that I wouldn't finish it in time, but some mornings I awoke and it was like elves had been to work on it for it was longer than I remembered." She fingered it softly. "It was supposed to be a plain scarf, since I'm a beginner, so I'm wondering where this pattern came from."

"However it came about, I'm pleased to receive it." He leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Obasama surprised me with a matching scarf"—interestingly enough, it, too, was plain but with regular stitches, the sign of a veteran knitter—"as well as mittens made with the same yarn." She gave him a mournful look. "I just learned how to knit, so I wasn't able to make you any, but I thought I might replace that scarf that you gave me last year."

"Don't worry about it," he assured her, "I have gloves aplenty!" They quickly set themselves to study, and when they took a break he asked, "Are things better with Irie?"

Kotoko nodded. "We are back to being friends, especially since we spent so much time together while you were working on that research paper." She hesitated then spoke, "Did you ever see any signs of Irie-kun...liking me?"

Watanabe swallowed then said lightly, "So he confessed, then?"

"Not in so many words, but in the letter it seemed...and he kind of acts a little differently...I don't know!" She pounded the table, which garnered her a few glares from other library patrons. "Why did it happen now?"

"Maybe because it has taken him this long to realize what an emotion feels like," his best friend offered. "He always gave off such a cool self-contained aura that it took awhile before _I_ was even sure that we were friends."

"Yeah, well, I bet his mother is to blame for a lot of that," Kotoko muttered.

"What was that about his mother?"

"Nothing, really." She tossed her hair back and sighed. "He hasn't spoken to his parents for a month now. Mr. Irie doesn't say much, but Obasama talks about him all that time."

"I bet she'd rather be talking _to_ him," he surmised.

"Probably so. But," she returned to the previous subject, "what am I supposed to do? I mean, if Irie-kun likes me now?"

"Whatever you want." He squeezed her hand. "You're the only one who knows how you feel."

She bit her lip. "I like being with you. You're always the same. With Irie-kun, I'd never know how I'd feel because he was always blowing hot and cold. I'm not sure if he's changed, way down deep, anyway."

"There's your answer. At least for right now," he added.

"Right now?" She laughed. "Are you saying we won't last?"

"One never knows what the future holds."

* * *

Her mind distracted, Kotoko stubbed her toe on a box as she turned the corner at the top of the stairs. "Ow!"

"Keep it down, will you?" Naoki stuck his head out of his old room. "People are trying to sleep around here."

"Irie-kun!" Contrary to his request, her volume was high before she shamefacedly lowered it as she scuttled into his room and looked around. "What are you doing—moving back in?"

He snapped his fingers and pointed at her. "Got it in one!"

"So have you and Obasama made up?"

He shrugged. "I suppose. Once I told her that I'd like to move back, she grabbed me around the neck and started crying."

"Well, that's good." She nodded decisively. "And have you told them—"

"Not yet." His voice warned her that listening ears could be pressed on the other side of any door.

"Why not?" she whispered.

"Maybe I'd like to enjoy a little familial harmony before all hell breaks loose again?"

"Yeah, but don't wait too long."

"I know, I know." Setting aside an empty box, he opened another and began to move clothes from it into a drawer.

Kotoko watched him for a moment before deciding that it was time to make her way to her own room. "Well, I'll see you in the morn—oh! You have a new pair of mittens." She picked them up off the top of the bookcase and examined them closely.

"Mom pressed them on me a little while ago, winking as she did. I wonder what that was all about."

Smiling weakly at him, Kotoko backed the rest of the way out of the room. "Who knows with Obasama?"


	23. Chapter 23

"So Irie-kun's back home again?" Satomi chewed a carrot strip. "What does your boyfriend say to that?"

Kotoko shrugged. Neither of the girls was satisfied with that response. Jinko scooted her chair over to sit hip-to-hip next to her. "No jealous fits? Warnings to bolt your bedroom door? A confrontation between two alpha males?" She leaned back in the chair and cackled. "Did you get that, Satomi? Kotoko? Alpha? Class A?" She sat forward again in disappointment when they both rolled their eyes. "Huh."

"Those two are friends," Kotoko stressed. "There is going to be no drama, no crazy, no—"

As if she had summoned him, Kinnosuke ran up to the table, balancing a tray of dirty dishes. "What's this I hear about that bastard moving back home?"

Kotoko placed both hands over her eyes. "Go away, Kin-chan."

As usual, he paid no attention to her request. "I warned you about those Class A men. You'd be better off with me. After all, I'm bringing home two salaries now."

Satomi waved away his boast. "What a laugh, thinking you can compare to either Irie-kun or Watanabe."

"Well, you better remember to lock your bedroom door," he advised. "Who knows when a man will turn into a ravening wolf!" When Kotoko lowered her hands to turn and stare at him, he admitted, "Although the other guy seemed pretty nice last summer. Still, if things don't work out, I'll be waiting for you with open arms!" He scurried away to the kitchen.

"There you have it, Jinko," Satomi said drily. "Jealous fit and bedroom door warning, all in one conversation. Two out of three isn't bad."

* * *

Matsumoto Yuuko was not happy; that was readily apparent to the members of the tennis team. Contrary to common custom, Sudo had not retired. Instead, he had decided that he would hold the reins tightly until the last possible minute. He had proffered a broad smile while naming Matsumoto as his vice-captain.

"Yikes!" Kotoko murmured to Naoki, who again was standing next to her near the fence. "I'd hate to get in her way today."

"Mm-hm," he responded.

"Of course, she probably hoped that you and she would be named co-captains this year."

"I would have declined anyway," he told her. "I don't have the time to deal with this...stuff."

That was indeed true. With Naoki starting a brand new course of study—and playing catch-up at that—and Watanabe beginning a challenging set of third-year classes, Kotoko had decided that she needed to practice what she had learned from the two of them. She began to rely on herself with her schoolwork, spending hours in the university library. More than once, during a self-imposed stretch break, she found herself wandering to the career shelf. When she found a brochure on the nursing program in her hands, she crumpled it. _What are you thinking?_ she scolded herself. _You're no longer that silly girl who dogged Irie-kun's footsteps._ However, after smoothing the paper, she decided that it was in no condition to be placed back on the rack. With one more lingering glance, she tucked it into a side pocket of her bag.

She found that she wasn't struggling as badly in her classes as she had feared. Of course, it didn't hurt that she had switched to a lower intensity English class. Even though he no longer actively tutored her, Naoki would occasionally hold an entire conversation with her in that language; for reinforcement's sake, he claimed. When he did so at the dinner table, the expressions on the faces of the other family members were priceless. Kotoko imagined that Mr. Irie was probably trying not to laugh at her mistakes, while the other Iries either hadn't learned that much or had forgotten too much to understand it all. Her father was the most blessed, not being present for these exchanges due to work at his restaurant.

She and Watanabe only managed to get together every week or two. When he invited her to join his family on a small trip during Golden Week, she quickly accepted. Even under the approving eyes of his mother, he went no further than hand-holding and a chaste kiss at night. Kotoko, thinking back over the previous months, realized that this behavior had begun earlier in the year. She wondered if her forward actions on Christmas Eve had made him step back a bit. She did admit to a feeling of relief that he had not taken advantage at that time but puzzled at the lack of advancement in expressions of affection.

But soon enough something happened that made all of those concerns seem trivial.

* * *

"Hello, Obasama," Kotoko greeted Mrs. Irie upon returning to the house, "do you need some help in the kitchen this evening? Obasama?" she added when she received no answer.

Mrs. Irie blinked and shook her head. "Oh, sorry, Kotoko-chan. It's just that Papa has been acting so strange since he got home…"

"Ojisama's already here?" She looked at the clock. "He's a little earlier than usual."

"Yes, and he has been pacing up and down in the study. He ran out just as you came in the door and then went back in without saying anything. Ah! Onii-chan!" Naoki had just opened the door.

Hurried footsteps could be heard, and Mr. Irie soon appeared. "Naoki, could I speak to you for a few minutes?"

Kotoko could see the worry lines on his face and feared there was something wrong at Pandai. When she glanced at Naoki, she saw that his eyes were narrowed as he followed his father.

"I wonder what that's all about!" Mrs. Irie said. She did not have to wait long.

"What do you mean, you've transferred into the medical department! You can't do that without parental permission!"

"Considering that I'm attending on full scholarship, that statement is invalid, wouldn't you say?"

"I guess the door didn't close all the way," Kotoko said, looking at Mrs. Irie.

She winked. "I taped over the latch hole so it couldn't. _What?_ " she asked when Kotoko gave her a reproving stare. "As his mother, I'm an interested party."

"But I'm counting on you to take over Pandai!"

"I told you I would consider it, and I did. It's not for me." By now Yuuki had joined the two women leaning towards the door crack. "Pandai was _your_ dream. It's not mine. I want to work at something that inspires and excites me, just like you and Aihara-san have done." Naoki stood and bowed. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but I'm not sorry for making the choice. I will not succeed you at Pandai. I am going to be a doctor."

Mr. Irie half-stood, then collapsed back into his chair with a groan, hand clutching his chest. 'Uhh!"

"Dad!" Naoki cried.

Mrs. Irie burst into the room. "Papa! Papa!"

Kotoko held Yuuki back as Naoki ascertained that the pain centered in his chest. "It may be his heart," he surmised. "Mom, call an ambulance." He turned back to his father, arm supporting him. "You never changed your diet after that medical evaluation, did you? And with the added stress—" Seeing his mother's shaking hands at the phone, he amended his command. "Mom, let Kotoko do it. Yuuki, get me a blanket."

Thus relieved of the responsibility whose seriousness had paralyzed her, Mrs. Irie rushed back to her husband's side. "Papa, hold on!"

In the background, Naoki could hear Kotoko's concerned but firm voice. "That's right, in Setagaya. The name is Irie and the address is…"

* * *

Naoki and his mother stood when they wheeled his father's still figure out of the treatment room.

The doctor instantly assured them, "He's under sedation now. He has calmed down, and his life shouldn't be in any danger."

"Do you know what caused it?" he asked as Mrs. Irie wrung her hands together.

"We won't know until a more detailed examination, but my professional opinion is leaning towards angina. If that is the case, we will look at his condition and decide if surgery or drugs will treat it best." He paused then asked, "Has he been under a great deal of stress lately?"

Naoki winced, "Right before the attack...he and I had words."

"Don't start blaming yourself." The doctor patted his arm. "If that was the case, every father in Japan would end up here at some point. Your disagreement may have triggered this particular small episode, but one would eventually have occurred, and it might have been much worse. This could be the best thing for him, as I see," he shuffled through the papers, "that there are blood pressure and cholesterol issues in his history."

"Thank you, doctor." He bowed to him.

"I'm just doing my job. He'll need to do _his_ job now and take some well-needed rest and change his diet. He will likely be hospitalized for several days. Now," he looked at his watch, "I have a call to make. Be sure you fill out all that tree-killing paperwork that the business office requires to make themselves indispensable."

"Yes, doctor." Both Naoki and Mrs. Irie bowed in thanks and agreement.

"Onii-chan," she said, "I'll stay with Papa tonight. You go home. We can discuss your future at another time. Maybe after he has recovered…"

"Yeah. I know." His voice was bleak.

* * *

"Dad has angina." Naoki informed Kotoko and Yuuki of the test results the following evening. They were eating a meal partly of rice made by Kotoko and partly of prepared meat and vegetables picked up at a convenience store. The situation had given Kotoko flashbacks to Yuuki's emergency, and she didn't want to run the risk of sending any more Iries to the hospital.

"What is that, exactly?" she asked. "I mean, I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the heart…" Her curiosity had been roused by the nursing brochure that she couldn't make herself discard, and she had browsed through several health care books in her room the past few weeks—armed with a dictionary, of course.

"Baka!" Yuuki said, although without his usual spirit.

"She's right," Naoki said, "and he needs complete rest for several weeks, or he runs the risk of a heart attack."

"But what about Pandai?" Yuuki asked the question that was in all of their minds.

* * *

 _What about Pandai, indeed?_ There were enough fruit baskets and flowers in his father's room the next day to sink a ship.

"They're from your father's work contacts. They have been arriving in a steady stream since early this morning," his mother told him. "Believe it or not, we've given over half of them away."

They turned to the door when they heard a knock. "Excuse us," two men walked in carrying yet another overflowing fruit basket. Naoki recognized them as managers from his brief internship.

"President, how are you feeling?"

"We can't express how shocked we were when we heard."

Mr. Irie demurred, "I'm fine, really. Hospitalization is a bit of an overreaction."

"Father," Naoki said in a warning tone.

"Oh no, sir! Please don't try to get up," the men urged.

"But I really hate to be out at a time when the company is so troubled…"

"Ah, well, you must have been under a bit of stress, no doubt."

"This may not be the most appropriate time, but what about that matter that we had been discussing?"

"Hm. Let's see. Perhaps Murakami could handle that…but wait! He has other pressing matters. How about Yoshinaga?"

"Very good, sir."

"Oh! What about a replacement for the video production head?"

"Hm, let me see…"

"Mother, a word with you." Naoki grabbed Mrs. Irie's arm and propelled her out of the room. In the hallway he asked, "What's going on? I thought Dad was supposed to have very limited visitors."

"Well, yes, but he insisted that his executives be allowed in. They've been that way since mid-morning, so much so that it's practically a revolving door!"

Naoki sighed and shoved hair off his forehead. "He'll never recover at this rate."

"Yes," his mother agreed in distress. "You know how your father has to micromanage everything. He carries it all on his shoulders."

"Excuse me!" Two more executives in suits, one a woman this time, brushed past them to knock on the door.

"Excuse us, sir, are you all right?"

"Ah, Suzuki and Sato!" Mr. Irie welcomed them.

"I know this isn't the best time, but…"

Naoki shoved open the door and spoke over the conversation. "Enough!" He walked to his father's bedside. "Until you're fully recovered," he said quietly, "I'll help out at the office."

The room was silent for a few seconds, then Mr. Irie once more appeared ready to leap from the bed. "Will you really, Naoki?"

"Yeah," he said, looking at the floor.

His father frowned and shook his head, reversing his stance immediately. "No! I won't accept your charity. After all, you want to become a doctor."

"I said, 'until you're recovered'," he repeated. "So don't worry any more. Concentrate on getting better."

The executives were over the moon at this news. "That's wonderful, Irie-sama! You have a great son!"

After they finally left, Mrs. Irie sat in the quiet room and took her husband's hand. "Isn't this nice, Papa?"

"Y-yes," he said softly.


	24. Chapter 24

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Kotoko asked Naoki after he told her of his return to Pandai.

"It will only be for a short while," he replied.

 _But still_ , she fretted to herself, _he was finally doing what he wanted to and now this!_ _Not that he could have helped it, but, really, Mr. Irie's timing sucked!_ "Your medical classes…"

"Relax, Kotoko. I don't anticipate any great problems."

* * *

 _Famous last words,_ Naoki thought a week later. "Are these numbers in comparison to last year's inventory?"

"Yes, sir."

"Sales have plummeted precipitously this year."

"Due to the amount of time required for video production, we have not yet had an episode that features the changes you suggested. And now, with the economic downturn, who knows if that will make enough difference to matter?"

"So this is what Father had been concerned about lately." He looked up at Tsuchiya, the chief financial officer. "To be blunt, we're in trouble."

"Yes. If things continue this way, we'll be in extreme financial difficulty. Complete absorption through a merger may even be likely. We'll need major support to get us out of this."

After the executive left, Naoki rested his forehead on one hand and looked at the depressing numbers before him. No matter how long he stared at them, they refused to change. "An ulcer may be in my future." He laughed without real humor. _At least I know enough to diagnose myself!_

* * *

Gradually, during this time in which Mrs. Irie badgered her husband to obey his doctors, Kotoko increased the number of edible dishes that she was able to prepare. All of them were simple (no more would she overextend herself with something like beef bourguignon) and, while not up to her father's or Mrs. Irie's standards, could be eaten without causing indigestion. Yuuki, of course, complained every night but followed his brother's lead in finishing his plate and then thanking her for the food. Whenever Kotoko begged the gods for Mr. Irie's recuperation, she made an addendum for better culinary skills so that she could believe that she deserved that thanks.

She felt that neither prayer was being granted when Naoki brought news of a fresh seizure suffered by his father. He assured them that he was all right but was under observation that evening.

Later that night Kotoko, after ending her regular conversation with Watanabe, decided to fetch a glass of water before tackling the last of her assignments. She was startled when Naoki spoke from the living room. "Why don't you remember to take a pitcher up after dinner?"

"Ack! Don't sit in a dark room and scare me like that!" she scolded. "You know about my night blindness."

"That means you're deficient in Vitamin A. You should eat more carrots and eel."

"I don't think I care for that food combination, _Dr. Irie_ ," she replied, walking towards his now dimly visible figure. "Why are you down here in the middle of the night anyway? Tomorrow will be another long day for you at work." When he only waved a hand at her, she persisted, "Is there anything else wrong? Are you worried about something?"

"Kotoko," he said softly, not looking at her, "Dad's condition is actually pretty bad." He sighed. "The doctor spoke frankly to me today. If this continues, surgery is definite."

"Heart surgery?" Kotoko clutched at her own chest, which had begun to ache with anticipation of more bad news.

"Dad's illness is probably a result of stress and worry, on top of a couple decades of overeating and under-exercising. Pandai is on the rocks financially, and he took all the responsibility on himself. So when I told him that I wasn't going to take over for him and was going to medical school...well, that sent him right over the edge."

"B-but that's—"

"To cure Dad's illness," he took a deep breath, "all I have to do is take over as President of his company."

Kotoko cried, "But what about your dream of becoming a doctor?"

He looked at her sadly in the shadows. "It was a short-lived dream. I'll hand in my leave of absence paperwork to the school tomorrow."

"Irie-kun…" Tears were now flowing freely down Kotoko's cheeks.

"It won't be so bad," he tried to inject some cheerfulness into his speech, "it'll be a challenge rebuilding a big company like that." His voice cracked a little. "Sounds pretty fun, actually…"

Kotoko could hold herself back no further. She threw herself at him and hugged him tightly. After a brief moment he put his arms around her and held her close. They stayed that way for a few minutes as he buried his face in her neck. When they finally separated, she said nothing about the dampness on her collar. Instead she laid a hand on his cheek and said, "Stay strong, Irie-kun. It _has_ to come out right for you."

Naoki pulled the hand away and kissed her palm. "Thank you, Kotoko." He dropped his pitiful attempt at a smile when she left him in the darkness once more.

* * *

Naoki rubbed his forehead in a manner that had now become a habit; or perhaps, the habit was acquiring a headache each day by three p.m. Another potential investor interview down; at least this one showed some interest in the firm. Although, it actually seemed as if he had more interest in him personally. He shook his head; the pressure must be making him imagine things. Chairman Oizumi's questions about his interests and pastimes were nothing more than a way to gauge his potential for leading Pandai at such a young age.

What was worse was overhearing the worries of the lower-level staff. They were all too aware of Pandai's precarious financial state. He wished that he had a magic wand to wave to make it all better. Well, he sighed, nothing to do but look over the latest figures from Accounting. With that lovely chore in front of him, he'd be surprised if his head didn't explode by the end of the day.

* * *

"He comes in late in the evening and leaves in the early morning," Kotoko told Mrs. Irie in the hospital. "I can tell that he is exhausted, but all he does is eat and then look at more reports before going to bed."

"If he's not careful, we'll need a double room for him and Papa," fretted his mother.

* * *

"I know Mom will be sorry that you can't come to the beach with us during the break, Kotoko," Watanabe said to her as they walked through a summer festival, "but she understands."

"Yes," she replied, "I don't feel like I can leave the family at this time."

"So, is it possible that Mr. Irie could be discharged some time soon?"

"Only if he obeys the doctors—and Obasama!" she laughed. "They are having a hard time keeping him in the hospital bed, but I think that last seizure frightened him a bit."

"Well, everyone always thought Irie would succeed his father at some point," he mused, "but this is sooner than expected." He looked down at Kotoko and saw that her eyes had filled with tears. "Wait, what is it, Kotoko?"

She swiped at her face. "It's just that he finally found what he really wanted to do, and then this was forced on him." She gave a little laugh. "He even said that if he hadn't been right there when it happened, he would have thought that this was another plot to pull him in against his will."

"Oh, man, I sure feel for him," he said earnestly. "Maybe I'll stop by and check up on him some time."

Kotoko squeezed his hand and managed a smile. "I'm sure he'd like that. Now, let's put away this 'downer' talk and try to have fun tonight since we won't see each other for a while."

"All right," he agreed. "What first? Takoyaki?"

"You know me so well!" When he laughed, she poked a finger in his dimple. "Caught one!"

The dimple quickly faded when he saw that some of the sparkle in her eyes was not there.


	25. Chapter 25

"President?"

Naoki raised his head. He didn't know if he would get used to being called that any time soon. "Yes?" he responded, looking at Tsuchiya, who had arranged the investor interviews.

"Could I speak to you a moment, in private?" He slanted his eyes towards the administrative assistant at the other desk.

"Certainly. Iwaya-san," he called to the older woman, "could you step out for a few minutes?"

"Of course, Irie-san," she bowed. "I will take this opportunity to see if Personnel has compiled a shortlist of candidates for the video position."

Naoki nodded at her then gestured to Tsuchiya to take a seat. "What is it?"

"That potential investor the other day—Oizumi from Hokuei-sha—has called back."

"Really?" He sat a little straighter. "Does this mean that we have a chance for funding?"

He shifted a little in his chair. "He didn't say so specifically, although he hinted that it could be forthcoming, with conditions."

"Conditions?" Naoki frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Ah," Tsuchiya looked even more uncomfortable, "I don't mean to ask personal questions, Irie-san, but do you have a girlfriend?"

Naoki blinked away the memory of Kotoko holding him tightly the night he admitted that his future had been sealed by outward events. "No, but you have aroused my curiosity."

"Well, the Chairman has taken a great liking to you. How would you feel about having a matchmaking dinner with his granddaughter?"

After getting the man out of his office with the promise that he would consider the matter, Naoki sat at his desk and rolled a pen back and forth across the surface. Taking control of Pandai was one thing, but this would be letting Pandai take control of him! His mind raced. Although he believed that eventually the company would pull through on its own, the funds would certainly expedite its recovery. Well, this was not a decision that he could make without informing his father. _Plus,_ he looked at the clock, _with this proposal (almost a literal one!) my concentration is shot for the day. I might as well drop by early to present Dad's daily update._

* * *

"Ah, Kotoko-chan," Mr. Irie patted her hand, "I'm sorry that our family troubles have prevented you from taking a vacation."

"Nonsense, Ojisan," she chided him, "as long as I've lived with you, don't try to say that I'm not part of the family too."

He chuckled. "That is certainly the case. You and Yuuki-kun especially fight like siblings."

"Yes," she admitted, "but only because he acts like a knucklehead at times."

Laughing, he agreed then looked down and fussed with the bedclothes a moment. "You know," he hesitantly began, "Mama and I always did think you and Onii-chan would make a good match. Has this time, troublesome though it is, brought you two closer together?"

Outside the room, Naoki cursed silently when his phone vibrated. He moved a few steps away to check the message. _That persistent Tsuchiya!_ He had found a society photo of the Oizumi heiress and had forwarded it to him. "Is he trying to convince me to pimp myself out?" he muttered before closing the screen.

Meanwhile, back in the room, the conversation had continued but with a slight change of topic.

"Ojisan, you know that's not a question to ask someone who is dating another," Kotoko chided him gently.

Slightly deflated, he nodded. "I know, but Mother had such hopes… So," he managed a smile, "is this young man your true love?"

Kotoko's fingers twisted a strand of hair self-consciously. "I'm not sure. I feel comfortable with him, and it is easy to be by his side." She ducked her head and blushed. "I like his kisses, but they don't make my heart pound the way…" she broke off at the thought of the one kiss that she had experienced before dating Watanabe, "...I always thought it would."

Mr. Irie cleared his throat. "It may not be the place of an old fuddy-duddy like me who isn't even related to you, but that doesn't sound like the emotion you've been talking about the past few years, does it?"

She breathed out slowly. "What really bothers me is that, after all this time, he feels more for me than I feel for him."

Leaning against the wall next to the door, Naoki closed his eyes in pain. So, despite his hopes and patience, the recognition of his feelings was too late. _Well,_ he shook himself mentally, _being a genius didn't mean that you knew everything._ He ought to congratulate Watanabe at some point on having the wisdom to see what he had been blind to, but right now... He stepped away. He was in no mood to speak to anyone. The update was going to have to be skipped for today.

* * *

"Thank you for letting me know, Iwaya-san." Kotoko inclined her neck forward in a bow as she concluded the brief phone conversation. She hung up the receiver and turned to Yuuki. "Your brother is working late this evening. So it's just you and me for dinner again."

He scowled slightly out of habit but made no cutting remark as he wondered what else could be going wrong for his Onii-chan.

* * *

Iwaya Shinobu raised an eyebrow in inquiry after she hung up. "Was that all you needed, Irie-san?"

"Yes, thank you," he said in a toneless voice before nodding towards the door with a slight smile. "Now hurry home to your family before the trains get too crowded."

"Irie-san," she drawled, "the trains don't frighten me. What _is_ of concern," she looked at him with the stern eyes of a mother, "is that you are worrying yourself to a breakdown like your father over this company. Don't stay too late, and remember to eat."

He gave her a slightly more genuine smile. "Yes, _Mother_." After she sniffed and exited, his figure drooped in the chair. Yes, the company's condition was troubling, but his main endeavor the past few days was trying to force some distance between himself and Kotoko. This brief break of time, he hoped, would allow him to shore up his cool exterior enough to hide his aching heart.

* * *

Several days later Naoki braced himself when his visitor's name was mentioned. Standing, he strode from behind the desk and met him, hand extended. "Watanabe! It's been a while! What brings you this way?"

Releasing his hand, his friend eyed him closely. "I thought I would visit you in your new environment. Kotoko told me about the upheaval caused by your father's illness."

"Yes," he masked a wince at the mention of her name, "lots of plans were changed. Here, sit!" He indicated two visitor chairs that faced each other. After a brief hesitation, he asked, "How was your holiday?"

"It went well. Our family has a second home near the shore."

"I know Kotoko was sorry to have missed it, but we certainly appreciate her help at the house, with Mother practically a resident of the hospital as well."

"Yes. I haven't seen her yet due to conflicting schedules. I brought her a special piece of jewelry back from the shore."

"Oh." Naoki's eyes dropped. "I'm sure she'll be happy to receive it."

"Well, it's not as if she's not expecting it, but," he gave his friend a serious look, "let's talk about you."

"What?" Naoki gave a dry laugh and spread his hands. "Here I am, as just about everyone predicted, running the family business."

"Kotoko indicated that you had found another interest before all this came crashing down on you."

He waved it away. "I know my duty."

Watanabe paused, not knowing what else to say. Both he and Naoki appeared relieved when the door cracked open. "Irie-san!"

"Yes, Tsuchiya-san?" Naoki asked in a clipped manner and waved his hand to tell him to get on with it.

"Um," he glanced at the other man in the room then decided to speak freely, "Oizumi-san has set up the marriage meeting for a week from Saturday, if that meets with your approval."

Naoki closed his eyes briefly. "I have nothing else planned, and I will make sure that Mother clears her schedule as well."

"Very good, Irie-san." He bowed and backed out of the room.

"Marriage meeting!" Watanabe exclaimed as soon as the door was closed.

"Yes," Naoki said, "with the granddaughter of a potential investor."

"Duty is one thing, but sacrificing your entire future for the company—! They're asking a bit much of you, Irie."

"It's my choice," he replied, "and my responsibility. My headstrong ways caused my father's first attack. I can't repay him by letting his company fall in bankruptcy."

"Things are that bad?"

"They're pretty grim. Although we could pull out eventually, this will shorten the recovery time."

"But still—! You should have the right to marry someone you love."

"It doesn't look like that's in the cards for me, does it?" he asked wryly. "At any rate, she's easy on the eyes, based on the photos I've seen of her." He glanced at the clock. "I have an appointment in a few minutes. Let me stretch my legs by showing you down, and you can tell me how your third year of pre-law is going."

When they reached the ground floor, the two walked outside and shook hands. "I don't think you're making the right decision, but I wish you the best of luck, Irie."

"Thanks, Watanabe. Don't be a stranger."

Naoki thought he had brushed through that conversation fairly well. He was glad that Watanabe held him no ill will and thankful for the heads-up about the new stage in his relationship with Kotoko. Although he might have wished that things had turned out differently, he thought that Kotoko would be happy with him. He returned back inside, not noticing a young woman staring after him.

"Irie?"


	26. Chapter 26

"A shell bracelet? Is that all he brought back for you, Kotoko-chan?" Mrs. Irie clicked her tongue and shook her head. "What a chintzy lover he is!"

"Not a bit!" Kotoko held her wrist up and shook it. "I purchased one during our class trip but lost it in the earthquake. I asked him to pick up a replacement."

"Still—!"

Kotoko licked her lips. "Um, Obasama? Jun-kun went to Pandai the other day and met with Irie-kun."

"What? Did he fail out of law school and is going begging for a job from his 'old friend'? Well, I hope Onii-chan showed him the door. Once a betrayer, always a betrayer."

"Obasama!" The girl frowned fiercely at her. "Will you knock it off? I'm trying to tell you—or ask you, rather—something important."

"Yes, Kotoko-chan?" she answered, appearing suitably (if only temporarily) chastened.

"Has Irie-kun mentioned going in for a marriage meeting?"

"What—?!"

"I think it's to secure investment money for Pandai."

"Why, that—!"

* * *

"Naoki-kun," Mr. Irie's face was solemn, "what is this Mother has been telling me about marrying for money to save Pandai?"

"Ah, yes, I was going to mention that…"

His mother, seated beside the hospital bed, could not remain silent for long. "I did not raise a son who would be so mercenary! Marriage is for two people in love, not this—this economic matter!"

Naoki turned to her. "And be so kind as to make yourself available next Saturday for the initial meeting with Sahoko-san and her grandfather."

"I won't!" She stood straight, chin raised.

"Now, Son," his father attempted to calm things down, "while you know I always wanted you at Pandai, I never intended for you to go this far."

"And how far _did_ you intend me to go?" he asked. "Certainly not as far as the doors to Medical School." Both parents blanched at his bitter tone. "At any rate, she's an attractive and well-educated young woman. Some would describe her as the perfect bride for a rising young executive with prospects."

"And others wouldn't!" His mother went back on the attack. "I know that you don't feel anything for her! Why, you haven't even met her! And here we have poor Kotoko-chan—"

"Leave Kotoko out of this. She has no bearing on the matter."

"But she loves you!"

"I believe that facts state otherwise." He gave his mother a glare, not noticing that his father had looked down and was plucking his lip, distracted by thought. "At any rate, you _will_ be at this meeting, suitably dressed and behaved. After all, it's for the good of Pandai, which is all-important in this family!" He then swept out of the room, proving that he had inherited his mother's flair for the dramatic, however rarely he exhibited it.

* * *

"It was horrible, Kotoko-chan!" Mrs. Irie was crying into a lace-edged handkerchief. "Every time I tried to insult that little vixen, Onii-chan turned it around and defended her. He finally took her for a walk in the garden, and they returned very well acquainted."

Kotoko patted her leg and managed a smile. "I suppose she is pretty?"

Mrs. Irie waved the handkerchief. "If you like that classic, bland look with a nonexistent personality. Even her kimono was in muted colors." She snorted. "What a bunch of old stick-in-the-muds that family must be. I've got to think of some way to torpedo this match made in hell!"

"Obasama," Kotoko said softly, "if this is Irie-kun's choice, maybe you should leave it alone."

"What?!" She gave her an affronted look.

Bravely she continued, "After all, you didn't support his choice of career either. Are you going to oppose him and treat him like a child for his entire life?"

At this Mrs. Irie began to sob in earnest. "If he had stayed in medical school, he never would have met that meddling grandfather! What have Papa and I done?"

"Obasama! Please—"

To the girl's horror, Mrs. Irie doubled over as if in pain. "Oh, Kotoko-chan, I have failed my son—and miserably! He lives in so distant a manner because of his intellect and only shows real signs of humanity when he is with you. I believe you're Onii-chan's only hope of having a normal life with feelings and emotions. Why, oh, why did he not understand why I pushed so hard? Then he wouldn't have ended up with this—this misalliance!"

"Who has the right to call it that but those involved?" Kotoko asked, now weeping what she hoped were only sympathetic tears.

Mrs. Irie grasped her firmly by the shoulders. "Kotoko-chan! Promise me! Don't give up! Don't desert my son!"

"Obasama," she said softly, "I'm not 'deserting' anyone, but Irie-kun must become responsible for his own happiness." She tamped down the pain in her chest as she attempted to comfort the older woman with an embrace. Mrs. Irie fell prey to yet another round of tears, and Kotoko looked up helplessly at the young boy pensively watching them from the doorway.

* * *

"Yuuki, why are you always doing homework in my room when you have one of your own?"

The younger brother closed his composition book. "I guess I got used to being around you when we had to share after Kotoko came."

"Yeah," he laughed shortly, "that was an interesting time."

"Onii-chan," Yuuki spoke slowly, as if choosing his words with care, "are you going to marry that girl that Mom's so upset about?"

Silence greeted him for a few moments before Naoki answered, "If things continue as they are, probably."

"But what about Kotoko?"

His brother closed his eyes. "Watanabe bought her an engagement ring while he was on vacation."

"Really?" Yuuki looked puzzled. "All I heard was that she got a bracelet made out of shells, and Mom griped for a long time at how cheap it was."

"Oh?" _So_ that _was the piece of jewelry…_ "Anyway, she loves him."

"Does she?" he persisted. "She doesn't get that crazy look in her eyes when she talks about him the way she did about you."

"She doesn't?" He shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Life doesn't always let you end up with your first love."

"So does that mean that you love Kotoko?"

Naoki took a deep breath. "You'll like Sahoko-san. She is pretty and is attending a prestigious college. She will make an excellent wife for the President of Pandai."

Yuuki looked at him with sad eyes. _But how about for you, as a person?_ he thought.

* * *

"What? A party for me?" Mr. Irie beamed.

"Of course." Kotoko laughed as she led him to the living room. "When the head of the household returns after a long absence, we _must_ have a celebration!"

"Dad," Naoki warned, "remember that you have to be careful of what you eat."

"Not to worry, Naoki-kun!" Mr Aihara assured him. "I have amended some of his favorite recipes to cut out much of the oil and salt."

"I hope you didn't cut out all the flavor," teased his old friend, "like that hospital food!"

Mrs. Irie had just returned from stowing her purse upstairs when the doorbell rang. "I wonder who that could be. I'll get it." She opened the door. "You!"

"Hello, Oizumi-san, Sahoko-san." Naoki appeared at her side.

She tugged him around the corner while the pair stood in the doorway, puzzled. "Why are _they_ here?"

"I invited them," he hissed. "Now go over there and act like a hostess."

Pasting a saccharine smile on her face, Mrs. Irie bowed them into the house and introduced them around.

Sahoko spoke a sweet greeting to Yuuki, who responded with a wooden expression eerily reminiscent of his older brother. Turning away, "And you must be Kotoko-san," she exclaimed with wide eyes. "Mrs. Irie is so fond of you."

"Really?" Kotoko was flummoxed at the fact that she knew of her.

"Oh, yes, she spoke of you several times at our introductory meeting."

"Yikes! Please don't take anything she said too seriously," she urged.

Sahoko covered her mouth discreetly as she gave a small laugh. "Based on her tales, you have become quite my object of admiration and envy."

"Huh?"

"Yes." She leaned forward and spoke confidentially, "I would like a few moments to talk with you alone, if possible."

Mind still boggled, Kotoko said, "Sure, once everyone has something to drink."

* * *

The girls stepped out onto the patio and slid the door closed, muting the conversations inside. Both Naoki and Mrs. Irie watched the pair with concern.

Sahoko began speaking. "You are so lucky, Kotoko-san."

"Why?" she asked warily.

"You've been living so closely with Naoki-san for three years now." She sighed, "I don't know how I would have been able to bear it. He's so handsome, plus being such a kind and gentleman-like person."

Kotoko blinked at the description. "Well, he _has_ improved over the years."

"I'm surprised you haven't fallen in love with him."

 _What she doesn't know won't hurt her,_ Kotoko thought.

Sahoko continued, "I must confess to being a little jealous of you, also, having his mother love you so much. I only hope she feels the same way about me someday."

Kotoko took a deep breath at the pain that suddenly sliced through her. "You must love Irie-kun very much."

"Yes, it was love at first sight for me."

 _Me too,_ thought Kotoko sadly. "So the initial meeting went extremely well?"

Sahoko smiled coyly. "Actually, I had seen him several days earlier. When I heard that my grandfather was trying to set me up, it took me by surprise and I planned to turn him down. I'm rather weak-willed against Ojiisan, so I went to Pandai one afternoon to try and beg the prospect to reject the offer. I was outside the building, working to get my courage up, when he came out with someone who called him by name." She giggled. "After that, I had no objection whatsoever."

"I see," said Kotoko.

"It's just that I have no confidence that he would have accepted me without the company needing help."

"Don't worry, Sahoko-san," Kotoko said. "Irie-kun must like you a lot." She continued silently, _After all, he is fighting Obasama_ for _you just as hard as he fought her_ against _me._ She put on a smile that would have fooled only someone who didn't know her well. "I am sure you will be very happy together."

* * *

"Hey, Kotoko," her father came to her room after all the visitors had left, "I was thinking this afternoon that, with Naoki-kun about to get married, it's time for you and me to get our own place. After all," he looked around, "this room was meant to be a couple's suite."

Kotoko winced at the reminder. At that time the supposed couple had been Naoki and she. "You have a point, Otosan. Do you have any place in mind?"

"No, but I'll stop by a realtor next week. We won't need a large place, I bet, since you and Watanabe-kun may be making plans soon."

She smacked his arm. "That's not going to happen so quickly. If ever," she added softly.

"Oh?" He put an arm around her shoulder. "Trouble in paradise?"

She looked uncertainly at him. "I'm not sure. I feel...I don't know."

"Hmm. Well, in any case, it's better that we leave this house.'

"I know." She rested her head on his shoulder. "I know."


	27. Chapter 27

"Are the rumors true?"

Kotoko straightened from picking up tennis balls. "Hello, Matsumoto-san. About Irie-kun's engagement? Yes."

The taller girl sighed and looked skyward. "I was hoping differently, but I had a feeling…" She kicked one of the balls across two courts.

"Oi!" Kotoko protested. "I already cleaned up over there!"

"It should have been you," she said suddenly.

"What?" She turned to her.

Matsumoto's mouth twisted. "I always thought you were the one he cared for. I don't like the idea of some rich girl swooping in and carrying him off with no effort."

Kotoko set down the bucket. "Well, he had his reasons."

"Now, if it _had_ been you," she continued, "I could have consoled myself that I was the better choice and that he was going to regret it one day. Even that feeling of superiority is denied me."

"Gee, Matsumoto-san, I almost feel like I should apologize to you."

"You should." She laughed shortly. "You have someone else, while I—"

"There's always Sudo-sempai," Kotoko reminded her.

At that point Matsumoto remembered that she was the vice-captain and ordered her to run ten laps around the courts.

* * *

"Kotoko-san?"

Kotoko closed her eyes. Of all the people to run into… "Hello, Sahoko-san. I hadn't expected to see you in the men's department of Mitsukoshi."

"I could say the the same." She laughed lightly. "Ojiisan is very particular about the socks he wears, and he is partial to a brand that can only be found here. And you? Are you looking for something for your father?"

"No," Kotoko held up the two ties she had been debating between, "a birthday present for my, uh, boyfriend."

"Boyfriend!" Sahoko seemed enormously delighted. "But you two should come out one evening with Naoki-san and me. What do they call it, a 'double date'?"

"Lovely," she gritted through her teeth.

"Let's see," she said as she pulled out her phone and began swiping madly. "Ah, yes! Tomorrow evening we have tickets to the symphony. Mother and Father were going to accompany us, but I'll tell them to make other plans. Who is your favorite composer?"

Kotoko blinked. "Uh, Ninomiya?"

"I'm not familiar with that name," said Sahoko, cocking her head to the side. "Never mind," she clasped Kotoko's hand, "this will be such fun!"

"Fun?" Kotoko said aloud after she had departed. "Not the word I would have chosen."

* * *

Watanabe was pleased to be invited. "Normally, my parents and I take in several performances a year." He smiled down at Kotoko. "I'm glad that our schedules finally meshed so we can enjoy one together."

Kotoko gave him a small, slightly guilty smile in return. There was a good reason she had always had a conflicting appointment for his previous invitations. She had taken a couple of caffeine tablets earlier in the hopes that they would help her stay awake, having well recalled that Tonan's Introduction to Music Appreciation course had never failed to send her to dreamland.

Sahoko was surprised to hear that the two men were already acquainted. "Ah, but you probably met when you picked up or dropped off Kotoko-san."

"No," Watanabe grinned, " _that_ was when we wore backpacks and short pants."

When she looked inquiringly at Naoki, he briefly said, "He's an old school friend."

"My, what a small world."

 _Yes, it was,_ Kotoko thought glumly. The music was having the same effect on her as it always had. Why didn't they have singers and dancers to liven things up? She looked to her right at Watanabe. He seemed lost in whatever piece they were listening to, which had been going on, she checked her watch, for seven straight minutes now. She stretched her neck to stifle a yawn and then pressed her spine to the back of the seat. Her last conscious thought was that the promised dessert afterwards had better be chocolate.

Naoki looked at Sahoko on his left. One hand was half lifted and swayed with the music. The other was placed invitingly on the armrest between them. He chose not to cover it with his own. On his right, however, Kotoko's head bobbed gently, definitely not with the same rhythm as the orchestra. With Watanabe's rapt attention on the stage, he slowly guided her head to rest against his upper arm. Enjoying the fleeting sensation of closeness, he lowered his eyelids to relish it more, a slight smile gracing his lips.

During the intermission Watanabe began to stand, then paused as he took in the sight next to him. Naoki stared at him almost defiantly when his friend raised an eyebrow at him.

Sahoko leaned forward, planning to ask Kotoko if she would like to wander around. Her brows came together slightly as she viewed the two in the middle seats. She had the uncomfortable feeling that this double date with Kotoko had not been a good idea.

* * *

The new semester brought fresh demands on Kotoko's and Watanabe's time so that they seldom got to see each other in person. His birthday was one of the few occasions they were able to get together. At the close of that evening, spent with him and his parents in a restaurant, she admitted to herself a feeling of slight lassitude.

Unable to discover an explanation for this, she decided to lay the matter before her friends. Satomi and Jinko, when asked for advice, were no help at all.

"Just because he doesn't give you the 'wow-wow' feeling all the time is no reason to dump him," Satomi proclaimed.

"Dump him?" Kotoko protested. "I wasn't planning on—"

Jinko also put in her two yen's worth. "That's a prime specimen you've got your hands on. Better hold on tight."

"You know," Satomi mused, finger on chin, "with all of these high class men interested in you—Watanabe, that kouhai, even Irie (because there must be some reason he kissed you that time)—"

Kotoko jumped before remembering that she had never told her friends about Christmas.

"—you may be spoiled for regular guys. No," she now pointed her finger at Kotoko's nose, "Jinko is right. Keep a firm grip on him."

"Actually, now that you're twenty, you may have already passed your peak of popularity," Jinko pronounced. "If you let this one get away, your only choice left may be Kin-chan."

"Why did I even ask you?" Kotoko complained. "And don't go blabbing to Kin-chan about this, either. I have enough to worry about without having to fend _him_ off."

* * *

As a couple more weeks passed, Kotoko became adept at identifying whenever Naoki was out with Sahoko. Those were the evenings when Mrs. Irie practically slung food on the table and dared them to talk during the meal. Playing the coward, she often tried to make herself scarce after dinner in case there was another meltdown.

The problem with that was that her main option then was studying, and some of her class assignments could be used as sleep aids. Waking up one night at her desk with a stiff neck, she wondered what had disturbed her until she heard the slight sound repeated. "I've heard that before," she said aloud. "Back when Yuuki-kun—" She pushed the chair away and opened the hall door.

Whoever it was had made it to the bathroom yet hadn't quite closed the door. Kotoko crept down the hall and looked inside. "Irie-kun?

She walked in and wet a washcloth then held it to Naoki's forehead. "Are you ill?"

He managed a sarcastic chuckle. "What do you think?"

"You must have had some bad food this evening," she muttered while she mopped his face. "Where did you eat? Oh, no, poor Sahoko-san! I wonder if she is suffering also."

He heaved a couple more times. "This has nothing to do with the restaurant."

Now that he said that, Kotoko noticed there was the distinct smell of alcohol in the room. "Irie-kun? What did you drink?"

He shoved himself to his feet. "What _didn't_ I drink?" He took the rag from her and wiped his mouth before bending over the sink and to gargle. "Go back to bed."

"I never went to bed," she corrected him as she followed his ever-so-slightly weaving progress to his room. "Oh my goodness!" Indeed, he must have raided the alcohol cabinet downstairs. There were empty bottles of sake, vodka, even Mrs. Irie's merlot. "What happened? Did you and Sahoko-san have an argument?"

"Argument?" He began to remove his soiled shirt. "How do you argue with someone who agrees with you all the time? It's so frustrating," he complained with a slight whine.

Seeing that he was having trouble maneuvering buttons through buttonholes, Kotoko stood before him and pushed his hands away. "Isn't that what you wanted? A nice comfortable life?"

"More like torture," he ground out.

She shoved him toward the bed and made him sit at the foot while she pulled the covers back and fluffed the pillow. "Have a good rest and maybe things will look better in the morning."

"Doubtful. It hasn't worked yet."

"Yet?" She stared at him. "This isn't the first time that you've, uh…" She waved her hand around.

"Tried this way to—what can I call this—cope?" Naoki laughed harshly. "No, just the first time that it made me that sick."

Kotoko bit her lip and turned away. His erratic schedule and her college work didn't give them much time to see each other, even with their rooms just meters away. She hadn't noticed that he was in such pain. _Why,_ she thought, _were things going so badly?_

"Why?" he asked in a plaintive tone, echoing her silent question. "Why is the price to save Pandai so high?" She took a deep breath and turned to face him, preparing herself to convince him to get in bed. He reached out and clasped one of her hands. "I can't feel that way for Sahoko because…"

When he didn't continue, Kotoko looked down and found him staring at her, his heart in his eyes. "Me?"

As if that one word was an invitation, he stood to pull her close and hold her tightly for several seconds before separating briefly to bring their faces together. She struggled for only seconds then clutched his arms to draw him nearer. This was not the spiteful kiss of graduation night or the angry kiss on Christmas Eve. This was a kiss of need, of longing, of an emotion that she feared to name. This was the excitement that had been missing the past year. She felt an almost painful tingling, as if every cell of her body was turning itself inside out to send her the message: _This is what you've been looking for_.

In their frenzy of greedy exploration they lost their balance and fell abruptly onto the bed. "Why?" Naoki asked between kisses, running his hands over her body, "Why couldn't I understand my feelings two years ago?"

The words acted as a bucket of ice water to Kotoko, who pulled away with great effort. "No, we can't," she said softly before breaking down. "Why do I still have feelings for you?" She pounded his chest. "I've _tried_ to stop loving you. And now it's too late."

"Don't say it's too late. It can't be too late," he pleaded with her, thumbs wiping away her tears.

"You're engaged to another. And I—" she broke off.

Naoki took a deep breath. "And you're my best friend's girl."

"Don't remind me!" she cried. "I thought I had a chance to get over you, but now—! All I'm doing is lying to him." She collapsed on his bare chest.

He held her close, crooning in comforting tones. "Don't blame yourself. It's my fault, _my_ fault. My stupid pride and stubbornness. If there was anything I could do to change things…"

Kotoko pulled away. "There isn't...you can't." She sat up and wiped her eyes. "We must forget that this ever happened."

"Ah, Kotoko!" He stroked her cheek with his fingers then kissed her one long, last time before releasing her completely. _My love_ , he added to himself.


	28. Chapter 28

Aftermath (Naoki):

Bitterness filled Naoki's mouth the following morning. His recollection of the previous evening was crystal clear: the continued search for relief in various forms of alcohol, followed by his body's painful rejection of that remedy. Even more humiliating was his discovery by Kotoko, who had hesitated only a second before cleaning him up with gentle care. The memory of the heated embrace which followed, despite ending scant minutes later in tearful separation, was bound to leave a scar that he would bear for the rest of his life.

Try as he might, his "superior" brain could conceive of no way, with each bound to another, that the situation would end happily for them. For his own part, if Kotoko could be his, he would gladly forgo the Oizumi money. But she had given no indication, her heart torn as it was, that she was ready to break from Watanabe. So he was left to quietly dispose of his several weeks' collection of empty bottles as he swore to face the future that he had determined for himself, with no more looking back.

Therefore, he continued to go through the motions at work as well as on his evening dates with Sahoko. The expressions on the faces of Pandai employees had gradually changed from worry to relief, an accomplishment that he observed with grim pleasure; surely, he hoped, that would not be his only source of that feeling in the years to come. No one seemed to notice that his face now never (instead of just seldom) smiled and that dark circles had staked a permanent spot under his eyes, despite the fact that he had ceased trying to lose himself in chemical oblivion.

* * *

Enduring a monotonous luncheon with his fiancée after an unusual surprise visit to the office, Naoki's wandering thoughts (estimating how soon his daily headache would manifest itself) were interrupted.

"Is the veal not to your liking, Naoki-san?" Sahoko used her fork to rearrange the gourmet leaves of her salad.

"Hm? Oh," he looked down, "I suppose I don't have as large an appetite as I believed."

"There has been a pattern of that lately." She bisected a cucumber slice and delicately chewed it. "I worry that you will make yourself ill."

"Little chance of that," he answered shortly, forcing himself to partake of a sliver of meat.

"There are signs of fatigue around your eyes, and you are always so serious. One would think you were anticipating your execution instead of your wedding."

"Please forgive me." Naoki managed a perfunctory smile.

Sahoko's fork clattered onto the plate. "Stop it."

"What?" His face showed puzzlement.

"That false expression. I can't stand it when you smile like that."

His calm mask reapplied, Naoki said, "I thought it would reassure you."

"I'm not a child, you know." She picked up the fork again and began stabbing the fancy greens without ever carrying them to her mouth. She took a deep breath then said, with a slight hint of petulance, "A fianceé shouldn't be kept at arm's length." When his only response was to rub one temple, she leaned forward and pressed further. "I mean, whenever we are together, you are always so polite and treat me with kid gloves."

Naoki lifted weary eyes to her and inquired with a touch of condescending patience, "Isn't that what you expect and are accustomed to, as the granddaughter of Chairman Oizumi?"

Her own "social face" discarded, she glared at him, with the most violent emotion he had ever seen her display. "Is that _all_ I am?" she hissed.

"I'm not sure I understand."

Sahoko closed her eyes briefly as she took a deep breath. "Be honest with me, Naoki-san. Would you have ever been interested in me if I was not accompanied by funds for Pandai?" When he made no response, she asked, "Is it Kotoko-san, then?"

He looked at her intently. "Why do you say that?"

"A woman in love tends to recognize that emotion in others."

"Sahoko-san, I—"

"No. No more lies, half-truths, whatever you want to call it." She set her silverware down again, this time with a clatter of finality. "I'm afraid that, as much as I like you, I have enough respect for myself that I don't want you unless I have all of you." She folded her napkin neatly and set it on her plate. "I believe I shall depart first. I'll tell Ojiisan that we do not suit after all. It will be up to you to convince him—or not—to continue to fund Pandai without a wedding."

He stood when she did. "Are you certain?"

"Farewell, Naoki-san. You'll forgive me if I leave you with the check?" A few heads turned as she exited, head held high and heels clacking on the marble.

Naoki sat down heavily as his mind raced to process what had just happened.

* * *

His return ride to work having departed with his ex-fianceé, Naoki chose to take the long way back and walk. He called the office and told them that he would be late; he was sure that gossip of an afternoon rendezvous would race through the building. Although there had been no official announcement of the now-nonexistent engagement (Tsuchiya had been warned that the Chairman would consider it an insult to Sahoko if the financial and personal issues were publicly entwined), he was certain that there had been many knowing winks in the various departments. He let out a short laugh; at least the rumors had kept the office cougars at bay the past few weeks.

He sighed and looked at the sky. Clouds were moving across the blue expanse, pushed by the wind. His body lightened as if some of his own shackles were being blown away as well. But he was well aware the the price of his liberty could mean the loss of Pandai's funding. If the Oizumi money was withdrawn, the company would still need careful guidance for eighteen months to two years. There would be lean times before its recovery; although he was confident of the eventual success, he did not know how many of his employees would be willing to follow an untried leader. He sighed again; this freedom was part of what he had wished for, and yet the one he loved remained out of his reach.

He ducked into a café for a to-go coffee and proceeded on, his thoughts undisturbed by the traffic moving rapidly only meters away. Tomorrow he would contact Chairman Oizumi, provided the outraged patriarch did not rake him over the coals before then. If he could manage to convince him to continue financing Pandai's resurgence, he would be in no great hurry to tell his own family of the broken engagement.

Back in the office, he supported his head with steepled hands, a dark current of emotion still roiling inside him, and continued the thought. No, he was not quite ready to reveal all truth. He dreaded his mother's discovery of his newly single state. He knew that her first instinct would be to promote a match between him and Kotoko—not that she had ever really stopped doing that—but he could well imagine the increase in intensity.

As much as he longed to take Kotoko in his arms and declare to the world that he loved her, his failure to recognize his feelings until she was involved with his best friend had deprived him of that right. Despite Watanabe's seeming invitation at Christmas to try to win her back, regret caused by the past stilled his hand. He did not want to place any more stress on Kotoko. After their heated encounter earlier in the week, he knew that although she still harbored feelings for him, at the same time she also cared deeply for Watanabe. She deserved the time to decide about her future on her own schedule.

That wouldn't be possible with his mother's interference, so he resolved to guard her privacy as long as possible. He could only stand on the sidelines to wait—and pray.


	29. Chapter 29

Aftermath (Kotoko):

Once more Kotoko felt gratitude for the home expansion of two years ago, even though the decision had been made according to Mrs. Irie's dream of a future whose fate appeared doomed. Just the slight distance between her suite and the family bedrooms made her feel secure that no one could have heard her paces or sobs from the night before. The biting sorrow of missed opportunities and poor timing still had her blinking back tears in the early morning sunlight.

She berated herself as she held a cold washcloth to her swollen eyes. There was nothing she could do to turn back time, after all. And, in a way, she was not _that_ much worse off than before last night; her feelings for Naoki that she had thought—and hoped!—were merely residual had been confirmed to be still full-blown. She had years of experience with _that_ emotion; no, her concern was for others. Naoki, her love of so many years, had finally admitted to mutual feelings, but long past the time in which he should have recognized them. She ached for the desolate future that he faced in the current circumstances.

The one who tore at her heart even more was the gentle, kind soul who had befriended her at her lowest point, the one she had tried so hard to love… "What am I going to do about Jun-kun?" she asked herself. Her reflection gave her no response, no matter how long she stared at it.

Sleepless nights worrying about the situation did not provide a solution either, and her awareness made her jumpy the next few times they met. Knowing that the relationship was faltering and that she was to blame, every day her guilt pushed her closer to resolving the matter while her cowardice and a tiny bit of hope stilled her tongue. She finally circled a date on her calendar to force her own hand.

* * *

Kotoko and Watanabe walked home from her father's restaurant after dinner. Watanabe had noticed that the roles appeared to have been switched: while Mr. Aihara had watched the couple with visible concern, Kinnosuke's hostility had given way to civility. Plus, Kotoko's distraction of the past few weeks had almost a frantic intensity this evening. Even though she often reached under the table to clasp his hand, he recognized a distance in her eyes.

He halted their progress in a darkened park. "What's up?" he asked with concern. "There's obviously something on your mind. You look as if you are carrying half the burdens of the world." He glanced around; except for a few people walking dogs, they were alone. "We can be private here."

She sighed. "Oh, Jun-kun…"

"This sounds serious," he said, lifting her chin. "Let's sit down." She followed him obediently to a bench. "Now, what is it?"

"I've been thinking for awhile," she said softly, head down, "that I've been lying to you, or at the very least, leading you on."

He laid a finger on her lips. "You've never lied to me, Kotoko," he told her solemnly. "You said at the very beginning that you didn't know if you would be able to feel the same way as I did."

"You know what I'm going to tell you?" she asked, wide eyes rising to meet his.

"I've been seeing the signs for some time," he said with a wry grin. "Except for our 'adventure' at Christmas, you don't initiate any kisses. And it's been several weeks since you've tried to capture one of my dimples."

"I know." She hung her head again. "I felt so guilty and then didn't know how to talk to you about it. I'm such a failure at relationships."

"Don't say that." He hugged her close, and she leaned against him. "You have no reason to feel guilty. From the very beginning you were always open with your feelings, trying so hard. You were sometimes so eager that you reminded me of a puppy." She shoved him with her elbow for the comparison. "I will admit that it gave me some hope." He took a deep breath. "But you didn't take the time—or I didn't give you the time—to completely deal with your feelings for my friend. I think, instead, you tried to start over completely by sealing away your pain and true emotions."

"Isn't that how it's supposed to be?" she asked.

Watanabe shook his head. "Feelings won't stay buried forever. You started being aware of them again at Christmas, and they're out completely now, aren't they?"

She nodded. "And they're as strong as before. But I'll get over them on my own this time." She made a fist and clenched her jaw in determination.

"Don't," he whispered. "Don't force yourself to try any more." When she stared at him in incredulity, he added with a gentle smile, "Why get over them? Why not embrace them and act on them?"

"I can't. Irie-kun is engaged to Sahoko-san. I'm not going to get between them. No, I'll just—"

"But he loves _you_."

"Yes, but—you _know_?" She shook her head in denial of his assenting nod. "It doesn't matter. Pandai needs the money that she can bring."

"Irie needs _you_. Pandai can rebound on its own; it will just take more time. I know it for a fact—he told me so himself, and you know he's always right." At Kotoko's sniff, he added, "Well, at least about things that don't involve messy feelings." He cupped her face with his hands. "I may love you, but I can't let my best friend end up in a marriage that will destroy his soul."

"But—"

"Kotoko, even at the start of it all I knew there was a chance that I would never win your heart. But at the very least I could protect it until my idiotic friend was ready to accept it."

"I'm so sor—"

Again he placed a finger against her lips. "Don't apologize. I don't consider any of the time I spent with you as wasted."

Her eyes filled with tears. "Jun-kun, I really do like you."

He kissed her forehead. "I know. Now go, and fight for the one that you _love_."

She pulled off the scarf that he had given her so long ago. She slowly wrapped it around his neck and kissed him lightly. Giving him a shaky grin, she raised an index finger in the air. "One last time?"

Somehow he smiled back, and she poked his dimple and cried, "Caught it!" before she rose and walked away, rubbing her eyes with her sleeve.

He took a deep breath before leaning against the back of the bench. "Playing the good guy bites. Plus, I don't relish telling Mother the news." He ducked his chin and sniffed the muffler. "I'd better wash this if I plan on getting over her any time soon." Nevertheless, he wrapped it even tighter around his neck, although the night was warm, and sat for some minutes before rising to head for home.

* * *

A/N: Apologies to my Second Lead Syndrome readers.


	30. Chapter 30

A week after he somehow convinced Chairman Oizumi that Pandai would provide him a profit without making its owners in-laws, Naoki's steps were lighter as he worked his way through the reorganization of his father's company. The business still did not fascinate him as much as the world of medicine, but no one had ever promised him a perfect life.

He was awaiting one last meeting before leaving early when he was notified that he had a visitor. "Miss Aihara, Irie-san."

 _Kotoko_? The past few weeks at the house their movements had resembled intricate choreography in order to avoid the other. "Send her in," he managed to reply calmly while his heart pounded so loudly that he feared it could be heard through the intercom. Was she coming to tell him that she had decided on Watanabe? If so, he couldn't fault her choice. He had made her suffer for so— The door opened, and his eyes shot to her face, which wasn't revealing anything. "How have you been?" he greeted her after she was seated. "Are your classes over for the day?"

"Yes." She rubbed her hands together. "I thought I'd come see you as soon as I could…" Her eyes shifted to the side. "I'm not sure how to start."

"Just go ahead and say it," he encouraged her, although his stomach clenched at the thought of what news she might be bringing. "After all this time, you should be able to speak freely in front of me."

"Right." She took a deep breath then stood and approached to plant both hands on the desk in front of him. "That night—your feelings for me—was it true?" she demanded. "Do you love me?"

Whatever he had been expecting, it was not this. He could only speak the truth. "Yes."

"Then what do you think you are doing?" Kotoko heaved out a breath. "I broke it off with Jun-kun last night," she looked away briefly and ran a hand through her hair, "or rather, he told me that we were through."

Naoki half stood. "That bastard!"

"No!" She waved him back down. "He told me what I had been too blind or cowardly to face. I have to be true to my feelings. _You_ are the one I love, the one I've always loved, and the one I will probably love after I'm gone. He told me to fight for you, so I will." She rounded the desk and grasped his jacket by the lapels, tugging him upright. "I'll drop out of school and get a job. I'll give all the money I make to Pandai to help it stay afloat."

Naoki's short, incredulous laugh was not well received.

"Don't mock my efforts!" she commanded fiercely. "Together we can do it. Love may not conquer all, but it can sure put up a good fight."

He touched her cheek gently. "If I'm laughing, it's from disbelief—and happiness." He leaned down to kiss her.

"Stop." She pushed him away. "Not until things are settled with Sahoko-san."

"She dumped me over a week ago," he stated baldly.

"So the funding…"

"We still have it. The company is sound enough to make the investment pay off."

Her face was puzzled as she sorted through the news. "But Obasama hasn't said anything…"

"That's because I haven't told her yet." At Kotoko's wide-eyed stare, he explained. "Her reaction might have tempted me to break a resolution."

"A resolution?"

"I decided that the end of my unwanted engagement was not permission enough for me to betray my best friend."

"Betray...Jun-kun?"

"By trying to steal the woman he loves." He smiled tenderly at her.

Kotoko's eyes dropped. "I hate myself that I can't love him the way he deserves. Also because it took me way too long to figure that out."

"I feel badly for him, too." Naoki's hand stroked her cheek. "He's so much the better choice that I had little hope for this outcome. After all, I have done nothing to deserve you, no matter what Mother thinks. Another reason I kept quiet...if I had told Mother...well, you know her feelings on who you should be with."

She gave him a half smile. "She makes it a little obvious."

"I didn't want to put either of us—especially you—under that pressure," he admitted.

Revisiting his decision, she asked wonderingly, "So, even though you loved me, you didn't make a move because I was with Jun-kun?"

"When you started seeing him, my first inclination was to shake you and tell you that you were mistaken, that you loved me, and only me." He laughed shortly. "The egotism of the 'genius'!"

"You would have been right," she admitted, "but the timing would have been all wrong then."

"I know," he gazed at her, "but pride stayed my hand until it was obvious that you enjoyed being with him. Yet with my arrogance, I still believed I would be able to win you back in direct competition until your reaction at Christmas brought me to my senses—and my knees."

She shook her head and tried to make light of the event. "I didn't push you that hard!"

"In a way you did, for that new perspective made me recognize that my hard head and cold heart the past two years had brought on the situation. After that, it was impossible for me to approach you while you had a chance of happiness with him."

Tears welled in her eyes. "You really have changed. The old Irie-kun wouldn't have thought that much about other people, especially about how they feel."

His eyes burned as well. "Keeping quiet so long was a humbling experience. I wondered how, and if, I would be able to tell you my feelings."

"That night—" she began

"Just the tip of the iceberg," he assured her. "Then it was taken out of my hands because you," he shook his head, "you rushed right in. For the rest of our lives, I'll never deny that you love me more than I deserve."

Kotoko blinked. "For the rest of our… _Really?_ "

"Yes." He advanced again and held her tightly. "If you had not had the courage... if Watanabe had not been so noble... what would have become of us?" He pulled back slightly and cupped her face with his hands. "Aihara Kotoko, I promise to never let you doubt my love again."

When his head lowered this time she didn't fight the kiss. The heat of the earlier night washed over them as he dragged her into his arms. Their hands clutched each other feverishly, and they spun around in blind passion. Both fell into his chair when they reeled into it, not caring that their frantic movements sent it crashing into the wall behind them.

A shriek that began in the masculine register but ended at high C broke the spell. "Irie-san!" Tsuchiya gasped, "What will Miss Oizumi think?"

Naoki lifted his head. "Miss Oizumi is a thing of the past."

"But—the Chairman—!" he sputtered.

"The Chairman knows."

"But—Pandai—!"

"Pandai will survive."

"But—"

"No more buts, Tsuchiya-san. And close the door behind you." He smiled down at Kotoko. "I'm in an executive meeting and don't wish to be disturbed."

* * *

Epilogue

"But Onii-chan! Christmas Eve is a traditional date night for lovers—!"

"Ma, for the last time, Kotoko and I are not going to have a romantic outing and risk hurting our exes by being seen together so soon after the breakups. Won't our attendance at the Pandai wingding satisfy you?"

"The Christmas party!" Mrs. Irie clasped her hands in delight. "The perfect time to announce your engagement!"

"Did you listen to anything that I just said?" She stuck out her bottom lip and gave him her pouty face, which he ignored. "We'll get married after Kotoko graduates and Pandai is in the black again. There's no need to rush things."

"In that order?" Mrs. Irie asked thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?" queried Kotoko.

"Well, since Chairman Oizumi—I must remember to ask forgiveness for all the names I called him—decided to let the investment deal stand, Pandai will be on its feet again in no time."

"Dad?" Naoki turned to Mr. Irie. "Can you please control your wife?"

"Why?" he replied from his easy chair, laughing. "Mama certainly makes things more lively, just like the woman you settled on—finally!" Kotoko hugged her future father-in-law and kissed his bald pate. "Anyway, Son, the doctors have said that I am making an amazing recovery. I should be able to go back to work shortly."

"Now don't get ahead of—"

"I will be relieving you of your duties once I get the all-clear. At that point you are to return to school and become the best doctor in Tokyo."

"You mean Japan," Kotoko corrected him.

"Why not the world, while you're at it?" Yuuki derided.

"Well, I don't want to brag." The boy snorted at that comment, and the two began to scuffle on the couch.

Naoki continued with his father. "But what about when you retire?"

Yuuki ducked out of Kotoko's hold and declared, "I'll do it." He stood straight. "You'll have to wait a little longer, but this is what I want to do. So, Onii-chan, go ahead and become the best doctor _anywhere_." His seriousness was mitigated by the tongue he stuck out at Kotoko.

Mrs. Irie continued to natter on about how a doctor needed a good wife to support him at home and since that was something that was easily accomplished there was no reason to dilly-dally about. And wasn't it a good thing that Ai-san and Kotoko-chan hadn't been able to agree on a new place, after all? That made the housing situation so much simpler...

Kotoko turned to Naoki. "If she keeps up with this drama, I'll really start missing Watanabe's mother."

He grinned at her. "Want to change your mind again?"

She pinched his nose. "No, because you once said that I made your life interesting. Plus," she covered her heart with her hand, "this doesn't pound the same way for anyone other than you."

He took her in his arms, grinning idiotically, very un-Naoki-like. "Good. Then my mission is to see that it continues to do so for the rest of our lives."

When their lips met, Yuuki cried, "Oh, no, they're at it again!"

* * *

A/N: I would like to thank all of you who left reviews throughout this story. To those who are not pleased with the man Kotoko ended up with: your comments are the ones that made me work the hardest. You made me dig deeper to try and strengthen the story to show the emotional growth of Naoki and the conflicted feelings of Kotoko. As you know, I'm not averse to a non-canon paired ending, but this story was never meant to have one. I do have another of those on the back burner, but my next story will return to Kobe and finish out my "Mythology Trilogy" (Pygmalion, Galatea, and now something with Apollo in the title). I need the relief of slapstick after the intense emotions of this one. Although there will be plenty of agony in that story, it will be physical and inflicted by Kotoko.

A/N2: This story was written (at people's suggestions) to make Naoki suffer more than he usually does before getting Kotoko back. Poor Watanabe was the chosen sacrifice. As for his characterization, Second Lead Syndrome took hold of a lot of people, including the author! I didn't want him to lose by rushing her with a pseudo-rapey scene ("Then, I'll make you love me!"—Kin-chan, I'm looking at you!), and yet somehow I ended up writing that scene in reverse! [Ch.19] At any rate, thanks again for reading.


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